Transformers 00
by Buddhacide
Summary: Welcome to a galactic adventure about humanity's dialogues with the Transformers 300 years in the future. Celestial Being and the Autobots unite to topple the evil, almighty Decepticons, who have assimilated Veda and attained Gundam technology. Roll out!
1. Prologue: Evolution

**TRANSFORMERS 00  
**

_A Gundam 00 and Transformers Crossover_

"Gods of otherworldly metal descended to Earth… but this time, humanity fought back."

Author's Note: This crossover is set after episode 8 of Gundam 00 Season 2 and after the 2009 movie Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen and the franchise's forthcoming final movie. It is 2312 AD, and three hundred years have passed since the defeat of Megatron and The Fallen. The Autobots, having departed to their destroyed planet of Cybertron for several centuries, return to Earth, only to find an entirely new and unfamiliar world. Familiar names such as Sam Witwicky and Mikaela Banes have all but passed into history. Humanity has moved on in the Autobots' absence, creating three Orbital Space Elevators that draw endless energy from the sun – a reflection of technological perfection that Cybertron itself attained eons ago. Optimus Prime is impressed. The young race that he loved certainly has progressed far…

But war has not ceased, and the hubris of human nature is as strong as ever. The world has been united against a mysterious faction called Celestial Being, which uses four powerful Mobile Suits called Gundam to intervene forcefully in world conflicts. The homecoming Autobots find themselves caught between Celestial Being and the tyrannical A-Laws, a global military alliance dedicated to silencing dissent against the united world government. As they come under heavy fire from the armies of the A-Laws, Optimus Prime and his Cybertronian troops discover that there is a far more sinister force lurking behind the A-Laws – a group of superhumans who seek to transcend humanity itself, and to move Earth life beyond the stars, conquering any – including Autobot and Decepticon – that would oppose them.

Were the ancient and courageous Autobots once again called to defend Earth from an imminent invasion? Was a Decepticon-Federation war inevitable? Was an alliance with Celestial Being necessary to prevent such a war of cosmic scale? Only time would tell. But for now, even as the Autobots struggled to survive the relentless pursuit of the A-Laws, the fate of man and machine was balanced in the hands of a young Kurdish Gundam pilot codenamed Setsuna F. Seiei…

Welcome to a new era of contact between Earth and Cybertron.

*

*

*

**Prologue: Evolution**

Earth beats with a sentient heart, though it is not of a metal core. It is the final hope of our Cybertronian race, on which rest the dreams of all our people… the dreams of those that survived the cruelty of the past millennia. Carried on the metal wings of protective sentinels, washed away by the blind, starry eddy of space, we made our home here centuries ago – how lazy the ages pass. It was on this planet that I watched over another species, one many times smaller than my own. They claimed dominion over the flesh-made life of this distant blue orb, but I could see that they were as lonely and lost as any other wandering being.

They are called _homo sapiens_.

The name of Megatron struck fear into the conduits of every peace-loving sentient in the universe. He was the galaxy's bane, its death. Only one being could match him.

His brother. His antithesis. Me.

I am Prime.

Even after so long, humans are a young species; they still have so much to learn. But I can see the spark of goodness in them, as clearly as I feel the spark of Cybertronian life pulsing within my chest. And upon my return to this planet after two centuries, I can at last see their potential blossoming to new and ambitious heights.

Let me show you.

Come and take my hand. You complain that my finger is too big. That's fine. Jump onto my palm. I will hold you close to me. Don't be afraid.

*

We hurtle past the glimmering eternities of this solar system. We initiate landing sequence, and our Protoforms burn with a celestial flame as we break into the gravitational field of the human homeworld. I can barely recognize the satellites that surround this blue planet, enfolded by beautiful swirls of white. It is here that I glimpse mankind's achievement: from Earth extends three monolithic structures; reaching like a set of claws towards the burning star they call their Sun. It is too late to stop and look. But the electromagnetic waves that are hurled back and fro across this planet reach my transmitters, and I instantly understand. Their history, their greatness, their predicament, is all revealed to me through their global communications, through their endless, frenetic frequencies. Those claws are what they call the Orbital Elevators. They draw their sustenance from their star through those structures, drinking from a limitless wellspring of light and life. No longer are the skies filled with the toxic fumes of their reptilian predecessors' remains. It is a new world, a renewed world. Within moments, I realize humanity's dream of two centuries.

Aeolia Schenberg. Celestial Being. World unity.

To traverse space itself, just like we do.

They have reached for the stars, the stars that we once fled to. They hope to colonize the furthest extents of their galaxy, of Andromeda. They still call our homes quasars, for they cannot understand the infinite depth of the universe, far deeper than their deepest seas. We shoot into the atmosphere and down towards the distant land hugged by blue. I feel a great surge of yearning and emotion charging within my spark.

I have come back to my second home, but it is not my old home.

I am vulnerable to detection – my Protoform is in reality my true form, my naked Cybertronian body _as it is_. I must find a vehicle of a similar mass to scan – any will do. My comrades around me – they do the same, searching for any vehicle that will provide us a mode of transport. We manage to assimilate several strange Earthen modes, but we are not successful in escaping detection.

We have come under attack by humans.

On the horizon fly giant machines of war that match, and even surpass, our size. What are they? Are they Decepticons? No, they cannot be. They do not speak, they do not taunt, nor do they answer our troubled questions. I can only detect human transmissions within. They unleash a hail of missiles and proton beams upon us. Their firepower is staggering – at least, compared to their counterparts three centuries ago. We send encrypted messages to them, fleeing and fighting back half-heartedly as we do so. But an entire division is in pursuit of us. We are surrounded, and I prepare my troops for two possibilities: diplomacy, or a reluctant struggle for survival.

If the world has changed, mankind has also changed. I knew from the very first moment we shot past the atmosphere and into the blue airspace above the sandy ground of the nation they call Kurdistan. Truth be told, I was amazed, impressed… but I was also concerned. For their wars seem more brutal than ever. Everywhere I turned my optic sensors, they scanned images of terrible, disheartening events – villages blown apart, their inhabitants lying dead on the hot ground. I glance at the human children weeping across the yawning desert, and I draw my ion blaster. These looming blue machines of war – why they have done this to their own species, I cannot understand. I will never understand. Outrage infuses my spark. I remember an age when Autobot and human united against the Decepticons, against the tyranny of Megatron.

But what is _this_ travesty?

And then, I look up. Four lights glimmer in the sky. My voice box crackles in astonishment as they hurl themselves against the grey war machines. They are magnificent things, each dappled in a different hue of colour: blue, deep emerald, bright orange, and white and dark chrome. They swoop down from the shimmering firmament and upon the fleet, their weapons more than a match for our hunters. The blades of the blue one tear into the enemy giants. A giant rifle from the other blasts two more into shreds. And even more remarkably, the orange mechanoid… transforms… into a jet fighter to pierce puncture holes in the attacking fleet. My sensors detect the transmission of a pilot to another. I am taken aback yet again by the… youth… of the humans inside those titans.

"Setsuna! Cut me a path!"

"Copy that, Allelujah."

"Tieria – get rid of those annoying flies that are shielding my true prize, will you?"

"Very well, Lockon Stratos. _Buster Cannon_!"

I whip around to help them, but I am not needed. An orb of brilliant energy completes the rout, fired by the man that had shouted out the name of "Lockon Stratos." It happens so quickly, even with my upgraded optics. No longer are there any hovering mechanoids; they have crashed into the sands of the desert, swallowed up by a sea of yellow. With little more than an ambush, the newcomers have utterly defeated our pursuers.

I am amazed.

It seems they are protecting an even larger ship, and it descends to Earth. It slowly descends upon us. I am wary, but as humans emerge from their gargantuan vehicle, I can see that they are just as staggered as we are, as curious as we are. I see the pilots of the mechanoids lowering themselves from their cockpits, too. My database quickly scans their DNA readings. The pilot of the blue one is of Kurdish origin, the pale one, of Irish descent. The one in the orange… I frown. Origin: unknown. Perturbed, I nevertheless switch my scanner to the purple-haired, androgynous pilot.

Origin: also unknown.

I shake my head. By the Allspark! They truly have come this far in a mere three centuries? Are these really the little humans I protected, who now control giant war machines and pilot ships comparable to ours?

What is important is that my Autobots are safe. I kneel before this small gathering of tiny people, whose ancestors I protected centuries ago. My faceplate slides into the sides of my helm. My wavelengths are loud, louder than I hoped them to be. I configure my sound system so as to not hurt the human ears. "My name is Optimus Prime. I am the leader of the Autobots, and we come in peace. Thank you for saving us against those war machines – I heard you calling them A-Laws over the receiver."

And from below, a feminine, resolute voice tinged with just a hint of shyness, responds.

"I am Sumeragi Lee Noriega, and we are Celestial Being. And this is our ship, the Ptolemaios II. I think we're in for a long talk."


	2. Chapter 1: First Encounter

Author's note: I received a review that asked a couple of questions but didn't let me respond because it wasn't signed. So I'm going to answer the questions here. Cheers!

1. No, so far I don't know of any Gundam 00 crossovers, although a friend alerted me to one that crossed over with Naruto.

2. Lockon Stratos is just the codename for the pilot. The guy's real name is Lyle Dylandy, who is the younger brother of Neil Dylandy (so yes, in this story Neil is dead and replaced by his younger brother).

Anyhow, please enjoy Chapter 1, everybody. Feedback is always appreciated.

*

**Chapter 1: First Encounter**

The idea of divine revelation had always played a prominent part in the Islamic religion. The Qur'an served as the final message of God to humanity and was revealed letter-by-letter to Muhammad ibn Abdullah through the archangel Gabriel. As God's last prophet, his message would be valid until the day of the Resurrection. But to Setsuna F. Seiei, the hope of a future beyond the travails of mankind was no more divine than it was deluded, no more encouraging than it was a pipe dream.

God did not exist in this world.

Revelation – the revealing of a Divinity to his chosen people – occurred far too rarely to be of any real help. The closest thing for Setsuna had been witnessing 0 Gundam hovering in the sky, gazing down upon the blasted wastelands of the Middle East like a contemptuous deity. If anything, revelation's rarity had left humanity even more cynical… emptier. Setsuna, with his growing atheism, could not explain the current state of the world through any other way.

Yet on this momentous day, he truly believed that he saw, in the glow of the Autobots' optics sensors, a faint touch of that realization he had not experienced since his childhood encounter with 0 Gundam. Having made their way into the ship the same way as the Mobile suits, they now towered over him in the docking bay, staring down at their human rescuers with a mixture of apprehension, curiosity, and gratitude. Their countenances did not resemble human beings at all, but their expressions were discernable underneath their powerful metal plates, the intricate wiring, and the endless maze of steel folds and beams that composed their indestructible forms.

Most of the Ptolemaios crew had already been stunned into silence.

Setsuna glanced around. His comrades, Lockon Stratos and Allelujah Haptism, did not disguise their awe, although Tieria Erde maintained a nonchalant shield. Feldt Grace and Mileina Vashti stood almost slackly, their arms hanging by their sides as they stared up at a yellow robot with a round, friendly face. Surrounding the remainder of the crew was a towering black Cybertronian and his lime-green comrade. Optimus Prime, who was the tallest of them all, lowered himself on one knee again, his optics flashing. "Sumeragi… Lee Noriega," he said in a rumbling, deep voice, as if in confirmation. "Thank you for allowing us entry into your ship. I would have understood if you wanted us to remain on the ground."

"The A-Laws are pursuing us, so we cannot afford to stay in one place for long. It's better that we remain in the sky or in space until repairs are necessary." The graceful and attractive brunette stepped forward, garbed in her smart Celestial Being uniform. "I cannot be entirely sure of your trustworthiness just yet. I also do not know what relation you have to planet Earth. But for now, you don't seem to be hostile." She swept out her hand. "As I already mentioned, I'm the tactical forecaster for Celestial Being. This is the crew of the Ptolemaios – and from what I saw back there, you were fighting the Autonomous Peace-Keeping Force… or as you've already heard, A-Laws," she observed. "Just why were they pursuing you?"

"More importantly, who are you?" said Tieria tersely. He still stood beside Seravee, despite having left its cockpit long ago. He seemed prepared to re-enter it if Prime tried anything aggressive.

"Insolent runt," boomed the black robot beside Prime brusquely. "Show some respect." His face resembled an Earthen bull, although it was far more sinister. Attached to his thick, indestructible arms were twin cannons that were the size of large automobiles. They whirred and glowed menacingly as he loomed over Tieria, who stared up defiantly. The rest of the crew eyed the potential eruption warily.

"Enough, Ironhide," chastised Prime. "Tieria, we are autonomous robotic organisms from Cybertron, a planet many light-years away from Earth. This is why humans know us as Autobots."

"How did you know my name?" said Tieria warily. "Did you hack into Veda's system?"

"Tieria!" cried Sumeragi.

"Ease off, Tieria," sighed Lockon Stratos. The tallest of the four Meisters, the brown-haired man's military-green uniform stood out from the others, and his relaxed eyes were free from malevolent deceit. "I'm glad to see you're all unhurt by those A-Laws bastards," he said, addressing Prime. "I'm Lockon Stratos – the second one, that is. Not that you'd be able to tell the difference," he laughed, chuckling wistfully to himself. "I pilot Cherudim Gundam, and we just want to know what you guys are here for. If you're not here to destroy us… well, we're sure as heck not going to lay a finger on you."

"We are more than harmless bystanders, Lockon Stratos. We were once your comrades. Three hundred years ago, we protected your ancestors from our destructive counterparts, the Decepticons. But then, we departed for our home planet after having received news of its restoration. It was a ruse by a new force of Decepticons, and we had no choice but to flee. Given our past alliance and friendship with your ancestors, I had hoped to return to Earth and warn your kind of this new threat. But upon landing, we came under attack by those so-called A-Laws." Prime paused. "I understand that this all may sound suspicious. As a token of my sincerity, allow me to introduce the elite Autobots that I chose to accompany me for this mission. Admittedly, you already know Ironhide," he added disapprovingly, as the black titan turned up his metal nose.

The lime-green Autobot stepped forward. "I'm Ratchet, a Cybertronian medic," he said. His voice, while older than Ironhide's, was kind and somewhat elderly. Even his face looked like that of a wise, robotic owl. He gestured to the yellow Autobot warrior beside him. "And this is Bumblebee, our espionage agent. He was the very first Cybertronian to have set foot on your planet."

Mileina Vashti, who stood beside Setsuna, thrust up a fist into the air. "The ship's best engineer, Mileina, at your service! Hi there, Bumblebee!"

His blue visual orbs bright and lively, Bumblebee cocked his head in curiosity at the bold girl. "Mileina – I'll remember that name," buzzed his voicebox. "And _your_ name is – ?" he asked the young, pink-haired girl adjacent to Mileina's left.

"Feldt… Feldt Grace." Slightly taller that Mileina, the beautiful young woman's large eyes were shy as she looked down. Although her words were welcoming, her body language betrayed her awkwardness and discomfort. "I… I am the tactical operator for Celestial Being."

"We were separated from Jetfire and Arcee while skirmishing with the A-Laws. But they are the most tenacious out of us, matched only by Ironhide." Prime paused. "They are the last members of our company. Hopefully, we will be able to find them in time."

"You are worried for them," observed Allelujah.

"Yes. But for now, I owe you a mortal debt. And I will honour it."

Sumeragi looked pleased. "Since you have proven your words with your actions, then I will also reciprocate with a formal welcome. These are our Gundam Meisters, the pilots of Celestial Being's Mobile Suits. Given the secret nature of our missions, we cannot give you their true names. Rest assured, however, that there was once a time when we were even more secretive… and amongst each other, too."

The ebony-haired, tan youth that stood behind Sumeragi now stepped forward, looking into Prime's optics. "I am Setsuna F. Seiei. I am the pilot of 00 Gundam."

Prime looked down. Suddenly, he smiled, and began to speak in Arabic. "_Peace be upon you, human child. You have suffered so much_."

Feldt gasped and Lockon whistled. "How – how did he – "

Setsuna's already large eyes widened further. "_I see_," he replied quietly, responding in his home tongue as well. "_You've learnt and stored every language invented by our species into your information network. I know now that you aren't lying_."

"_I am impressed by all that you have done here_," said Prime. "_This is not my first time on Earth, nor do I hope it will be the last. I have come to love its people and their cultures. I will not see them destroyed by a power-hungry minority_."

Setsuna's eyes widened. _He could not possibly mean… no, how could he know about the Innovators so soon? Or am I imagining things_?

Utterly fascinated, he was slightly disappointed when Allelujah spoke up. "My name is Allelujah Haptism, pilot of Arios Gundam." He smiled. "Marie isn't here, but I'll take her down here to meet you and the other Autobots once she isn't occupied."

Prime paused. _This man's origin is unknown to even me. And what of that purple-haired man_? He looked at Tieria, who had already walked off. He could hear Lockon chastising the androgynous Meister for his discourtesy, but he did not mind. There was something niggling at the back of his cerebral systems – these Meisters were far too mysterious for humans. They certainly held a crucial key to the fate of this world – his spark-infused intuition told him that much.

But he could not worry about that now. "Sumeragi – if you will permit us, we will stay on your ship and contribute to its maintenance and protection, just like any other crew member."

"Well, that's welcome news to me. I might even enjoy a day off with help from colossi like you," came Ian Vashti's voice. The chief engineer and gunner of the spacecraft emerged from behind the foot of Arios Gundam, soot covering his face and his gloved hands on his hips. He seemed completely unsurprised at the Autobots' appearance, although that may have been thanks to the decades already spent under mechanical bodies. "You can join Saji Crossroad and me in fixing the right upper wing. It suffered minor damage in that last battle of yours."

"Optimus Prime and I need a moment," nodded Sumeragi. "Don't we?"

"Yes." He looked at Bumblebee, Ratchet and Ironhide. "Help that gentleman with anything he needs. I will brief you later."

"The same goes for you," added Sumeragi, turning to the Meisters, Feldt and Mileina. "Please return to your stations and standby for the next sortie against the A-Laws. We don't know what they'll throw at us next."

Mileina reluctantly stalked in the direction of the elevator, stealing another fascinated glance at Bumblebee. Feldt seemed somewhat relieved, and Allelujah followed Lockon's lead, his gold and silver eye meeting Ratchet's optics. And even as Setsuna slowly loosened his constricting collar, he could not resist looking back at Prime one more time.

"_Ma'a salama_," offered the Kurdish man quietly.

"_Alla ysalmak_," replied the Autobot leader effortlessly.

In a matter of minutes, the new acquaintances of Celestial Being and the Autobots had disbanded. Ironhide reluctantly began following Bumblebee and Ratchet, who were heading toward Ian. His optics flashed in suspicion. "These flesh-born men… they're now encasing themselves in suits of metal armour," he muttered. "Are they imitating us? If they are, then they're doing a good job."

*

"Has Ma'am Sumeragi returned from the hangar bay yet?" asked Allelujah, as he entered the command chamber of Ptolemaios II. The doors slid behind him as he joined Setsuna and Lockon, who stood with their backs against the wall. "It's been over an hour."

"They're taking their time down there."

"Ma'am Sumeragi is not back yet," replied Feldt, tapping away at her controls. She glanced at the empty seat at the head of the room. "She must have important matters to discuss with the Autobot leader."

"I wish I had more time to talk to Bumblebee!" cried Mileina, thumping two impetuous fists onto the counter beside her controls. "He's the nicest of the lot – not like that brooding Ironhide with his angry bull face!"

"What do you think, Setsuna?" asked Lockon Stratos. "These curious new visitors. I didn't expect to be so cosy with them so soon. I think there's much to be said about us when the entire world hates Celestial Being, but we make friends with this Autobot crowd so effortlessly. Maybe we really are suited for space travel to another planet?"

Setsuna turned away as the compartment doors slid open again. "I'm tired," he answered. "I'm going to rest." His face was grim in thought as he made his way to his room, his feet hovering over the cool metal floor.

_He spoke to me in my home tongue. A god finally, literally, spoke to me in a language that I could understand._

_What does this mean for me? What does this mean… for humankind and its future_?

*

Sumeragi had to admit that there were few men that interested her during her time as a strategist. The only one that had touched her heart, truly and profoundly, was Emilio, the soldier whom she had failed. But even he had never _filled_ her with the utter _majesty_ that Prime possessed. He bore a _mysterium tremendum_ that was entirely foreign to her, perhaps due to the fact that unlike the larger Gundams, he was strikingly sentient – there was no pilot. Although she was still wary of the presence of the Transformers, something about Prime had won her trust for the moment, and she found herself believing the things he said, even if they sounded totally outlandish.

He had explained to her everything – the war on Cybertron, and how it had carried over to Earth. He had enlightened her of the Allspark and Megatron's destructive ambition. But to her curiosity, he had not elaborated on his own background. The tall robot had little to say about himself except that he was tired. "This has certainly been an extraordinary space-cycle. But it has been an exhausting one."

"If you need to, you can regain your… energy here, in the docking bay. The rest of our ship may be too cramped for you."

"We do not need rest, although we can be damaged and killed just like any other sentient being. But I thank you for your consideration."

He still remained on one knee, peering down at her as she smiled up at him politely. "I understand that you still may not trust us," he said. "But I assure you that we mean well. It is not in our code nor our honour to harm other sentient beings."

"No, it's not that," she said. "I think you and I have the potential to be powerful allies, given that we are the commanders of our respective parties. I'm not sure about the others on this ship, but I think you've done enough to earn my confidence. I will explain to you why exactly we're fighting the A-Laws." Her face turned grim. "The A-Laws are instruments of oppression and intimidation. They have turned the world into a police state in which ignorance means obedience, and that to protest such inhumane attacks against nations such as Azadistan and Kurdistan is tantamount to rebellion."

"But surely the United States government would take action? When I was on Earth, we allied with the President to – "

"That was three centuries ago," she interrupted. "The world is now united, Optimus. It has been united into the Earth Sphere Federation, a global government that we in Celestial Being are determined to resist, along with the rebel faction of Katharon."

"The world has turned against its own people?" growled Prime, slightly confused. "Then those horrors I witnessed while we were attacked in Kurdistan… they were crimes committed by this new government that has supplanted itself over the nations of the world."

"I… I'm afraid so. Such destructiveness must stop. That conviction is what motivated me to rejoin Celestial Being after four years, even though I had lost faith in my ability to change the world." Sumeragi looked down, her eyes clouding over. "Even after all our efforts for the future… we cannot atone for the mistakes we made in the past."

Prime stared down at her. He slowly spread his arms in response, and a wave of light washed over him, beginning from his head and sweeping down his torso, reaching his feet in a matter of seconds. Before she could blink, his blue and red plates had disappeared entirely; all that remained was silver. His crest elongated into what resembled an otherworldly crown, and his eyes no longer emitted blue, but a fiery orange. He looked ineffably ancient; all over his body were engraved carvings of ancient hieroglyphs and ornate patterns. Even his massive feet were different, ending in three beastly-looking toes.

"This is my true form, my Protoform," he said quietly. "It is my naked body, my primeval, real countenance. It is the form in which I travel the universe, and the body that I was born with when I first came into existence on Cybertron. No matter what disguise I choose, this will always be my true self. Similarly, you cannot forget your original vision, why you first became a commander," he concluded. "You cannot give in, not when you possess such strength. I can see it in you even now, and I have confidence that you can remain faithful to it… Leesa Kujo."

Instinctively, she whipped out her pistol and pointed it up at him. "How – how do you know?" she sputtered, completely taken aback. "You can't know my true name – "

"Please don't shoot me," requested Prime calmly. His gentle voice possessed an extraordinary, calming quality. She could not possibly harm him with the puny pebbles of metal they called bullets, yet he still remained on one knee before her, symbolically putting himself at her mercy. "I scanned the database of your ship with my sensors the moment we boarded. I know of Soran Ibrahim and Lyle Dylandy's true identities, but I respected your reasons for introducing their codenames to us. I must apologize for what I've taken the liberty to do."

"If I didn't trust you beforehand, I wouldn't have hesitated to shoot you," she warned, flustered. She lowered her gun slowly. "That true name of mine… it hurts to remember what I lost because of it, Optimus. In many ways, I wish you hadn't known."

He looked at her gravely. "But now, I know what Celestial Being truly is… what you all are. You are but frightened, broken children, set adrift in a world that has advanced greatly in technology, but remains mired in cruelty and bloodshed. I find it a tragedy that you are all that stand in the way of the A-Laws… and the Decepticons, too."

She blushed slightly. "I may be broken, but I'm no child."

"No matter how many pilots you command, you will always be a young, human girl in my ageless optics." He reached out, and she stared at him wordlessly. "Take my hand," he urged. "This is my promise. I will give my strength to your cause, Leesa. We will fight by your side against the A-Laws."

"Your finger is too big," she observed dryly, in an attempt to steady her thumping heart. Her hands felt slightly clammy, and she could see her vulnerability reflected in his expression.

His metal mouthplate slid upwards slightly as he smiled behind it. "That's fine. Jump onto my palm. I will hold you close to me. Don't be afraid."

Silence descended on the twosome for several moments.

At last, she shyly stepped up onto his finger, balancing carefully on the dark silver metal. After a few seconds of precarious walking, she threw herself into the shelter of his hand. Her knees pushing against his flat palm, she trembled slightly as he lifted her up to his optical level. He gazed at her as she looked down at the retreating floor, before staring back into his shining orbs. "People haven't changed," she mumbled in confession. "It may have been two centuries, but even I know that this must be a disappointing homecoming. I can only imagine how disheartened you must be."

"Disappointed, yes. But I have not lost hope. Listen, Leesa. There is one region aside from Kurdistan which may be difficult for the A-Laws to scour. We can take refuge there," observed Prime. He continued to genuflect on the floor of the hangar, watching her closely as she clutched his cool, ancient chrome. "We should make a stand on the sands of Egypt, where the Great Pyramids still observe your kind in silence. I once fought a titanic battle there, against my own brother. Perhaps you could ask Mileina and her friends to chart a course there?"

"It's worth a try. But for now… let me stay here awhile," whispered the brunette, her hands pressing against Prime's metal. "It's been a long time since I felt such hope for the future. But… I still… feel troubled."

His optics stirred in compassion, and his fingers closed in around her slightly, as if to give her shaking body warmth.

"As you wish."

*

The crackling voice was unmistakably eager and enthusiastic. "It looks like our guests have finally begun to move. And they've chosen to align themselves with Celestial Being. Perhaps it's time for my brilliant entrance?"

"Proceed as planned, Ali al-Saachez." Were it not for his deep voice, the green-haired man's gender would have been unrecognizable. He spoke towards the hologram of another human with a wild mane, whose eyes were tainted with an overwhelming appetite for slaughter. "Lead a detachment of Mannequin's forces to intercept Celestial Being. We will force them to engage. Gauge their strength, but if they prove too much, withdraw. I have plans for them."

"That's no fun… but I gotcha, boss."

The transmission faded away, and the ageless male turned to sit back down on the large sofa behind him. His eyes slowly opened, and they shone with a brilliant, multicoloured luminosity.

Quantum brainwaves.

"So it begins," smiled Ribbons Almark. "The final phase of Aoelia Schenberg's plan: to unite mankind and have it evolve for space migration. And ultimately, for the _coming dialogues_… for the encounters with these aliens of indestructible metal."


	3. Chapter 2: A New Resistance

**Chapter 2: A New Resistance**

The helm of the Ptolemaios shook as Sumeragi quickly seated herself and buckled her belt. "We're under attack," warned Feldt. "Coordinates of origin are still unclear."

"I'm way ahead of you, little Miss Grace," responded an eager Lasse. "Ready the guns for a counterattack against those bastards!"

"Status?" requested Sumeragi calmly.

"A fleet of A-Laws is pursuing us, deploying a large land and air force," confirmed Feldt. "They'll be within our range in exactly five minutes and thirty nine seconds. A massive cannon from one of the ships is about to recharge. It could have been what caused that explosion earlier."

"Trust them to catch us while we're trying to rendezvous with Katharon in Cairo," snarled Lockon Stratos from the cockpit of Cherudim. "And what's worse is they have that damned maroon Mobile Suit with them. I'll be the one to take it out, you wait and see."

Setsuna's eyes widened as his hands tightened on his controls, although he did not speak. _Ali al-Saachez…! Could he be leading that A-Laws division_? He clenched his teeth. _He's relentless, that monster. I have to shoot him down. Here and now, before he destroys anyone else on his rampage_.

"Let's begin the mission," said Sumeragi, staring straight ahead at the massive screen that displayed the coordinates of the approaching A-Laws. "We need to defeat their ground forces as well as their air armada. We'll skirmish as planned and leave the ground army to you… is that agreeable, Optimus?"

The voice of the Autobot leader suddenly echoed throughout the command room, surprising all within except for Sumeragi. "Just give the word, and we'll move according to your directions."

"Ma'am Sumeragi – you gave him access to our private communications?" cried Mileina.

"Nice," admitted Lasse, looking up to his right briefly.

Sumeragi allowed herself a small smile, before returning to a poker-faced, slightly grim expression. "All Mobile Suits – launch!" she cried.

"00 Gundam – Setsuna F. Seiei. Heading out!" said Setsuna tersely. He activated his accelerator, and the Twin Drives of the legendary 00 Gundam began to hum. Green, luminous particles spilled from two gargantuan solar furnaces, and with a smooth spin, Setsuna's Mobile Suit hurtled from its launch strip, leaving the interior of the Ptolemaios and shooting out into the cloudless blue empyrean.

"Cherudim Gundam – Lockon Stratos. Aim and fire!" Roaring to life, the army-green and white mechanoid screamed forth from its port and followed Setsuna's lead. Lockon licked his lips, looking down at Haro. "Cooperate with the Autobots, old friend. Let's impress them with a little sharpshooting today."

"Roger that! Roger that!" chirped Haro cheerily.

"Arios Gundam – Allelujah Haptism. Launching!" came the voice of the super soldier. Almost immediately, the orange, slim Gundam transformed into its jet mode, passing by 00 and Cherudim and shooting like a flaming comet towards the A-Laws fleet, which was composed of three large motherships and at least forty eight GNX-704T Aheads.

"Seravee Gundam – Tieria Erde. Let's do this." The cold voice of the mysterious Meister was quickly drowned out by the scream of his GN Drive, and within moments, the four Gundams had began to ready their varied weapons, in preparation for the coming storm.

"Looks like it's our turn, sir," came Bumblebee's voice.

"We still haven't managed to find Arcee and Jetfire yet," growled Ironhide's gruff voice. "You know that we rely heavily on Jetfire's strength, Optimus."

"I'm aware of that. But for now, I believe in Celestial Being's strategy."

Prime slowly opened his optical sensors. He stood in the hangar bay patiently as a humongous hatch opened in front of him, giving him a full glimpse of the windy sky and the distant sands below. The hatch itself was at least thirty feet wide, giving him more than enough room to leave the ship through. He had devised the scheme of an aerial ambush against the A-Laws on the ground with Sumeragi, and as this was the first joint operation between the Autobots and Celestial Being, the success of their strategy would determine the level of trust between the Cybertronians and the Meisters.

Failure was not an option.

After his unusually tender dialogue with the tactical forecaster, Prime had reverted to his Earthen form, encasing himself in red and blue over his silver body once again. The disguise he had assimilated since his arrival on Earth was that of an A-Laws Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck, or HEMTT. Like his comrades, he had scanned a vehicle the moment one had come under his sensors. The semi-trailer truck he had used three centuries ago no longer existed, but his new troop crawler disguise would certainly be useful in later sorties against the monolithic military organization, especially when engaging in guerrilla and infiltration operations.

Earth had changed so much.

"Bumblebee, Ironhide, Ratchet – are you all ready?" he asked quietly.

"Say the words, Optimus," sounded Ratchet's tuner.

"Autobots, please initiate Phase Two," prompted Mileina, her voice over the intercom noticeably more serious than usual.

Prime nodded and approached the opened hatch. The wind screamed up at him, battering harmlessly at his metal body. He slowly spread his arms, and allowed himself to fall through, and within moments his Cybertronian body was instantly careening past the stratosphere, towards the desert sands that awaited fifty kilometres below.

"Autobots… roll out!"

*

Kati Mannequin wrinkled her nose in disgust as Ali al-Saachez's slimy, despicable voice echoed throughout her flagship's command hall. "Leave the Meisters to me. Just sit back and watch the fireworks."

"_You_ just do your job and get out of my sight," snapped Kati, glaring at the screen displaying al-Saachez's wild-eyed face. "I can't believe we were forced to play host to you. What on Earth is the Federation thinking, hiring bloodthirsty maniacs like you?"

"Oh, but I'm not working for them," laughed al-Saachez. "I have nothing to _do_ with them!"

"What? Then leave this place at once!" barked the Colonel.

"My sincerest apologies. But I can't do that either. My client wants me here, and here I'll stay," cackled the Saudi Arabian mercenary. Disconnecting their line of communications, his GNW-20000 Arche Gundam shot past Kati's mothership and towards the four approaching lights. Not bothering to conceal her ire, the elegant and stern female commander slammed a fist onto her armrest loudly.

"Damn him. He's a wild keg of destruction. I didn't know we kept goons like him under our wing…"

"Ma'am! We have approached the Ptolemaios II. Shall we engage?"

"Yes," said Kati, adjusting her glasses. "We'll let that lowlife deal with the Mobile suits until he's destroyed. Then we'll mop up the survivors. In the meantime, flank Celestial Being's ship with our air and ground forces."

"Copy that, Colonel. Engaging the Gundams now." A force of two dozen Aheads surged from the ships, and the large screen now displayed an imploding sky, filled with separate, smaller explosions and the residue of missiles and lasers.

A crackling voice suddenly came through on the communications link. "Help… help! Colonel Mannequin – split the forces! We need reinforcements down here!"

"What? Impossible," denied Kati automatically. "We need our Mobile Suits to deal with the Gundams here!"

"We – we're getting torn apart!" shrieked the injured soldier at the other end of the network. The buzz in the background grew louder. "These guys aren't from Celestial Being – we never heard anything about these crazy – "

A scream echoed from the channel, and as perturbed murmurs sprang up all over the command room, Kati barked out another command, determined to maintain some semblance on control. "Come in! Give me something to work with. What are they? Exactly what is attacking you?"

She would never be prepared for the answer she received.

"They're – they're – they're _unmanned robots_!!"

*

"I never thought I'd be hurting the creatures we once promised to protect," said Ratchet heavily, as he fired a round of gattling lasers into the hull of a massive tank, hurling it into the air and sending it crashing atop an advancing platoon of A-Laws panzers. He turned to Ironhide, who was firing round after round of particle fireballs into the scattering infantry. Whilst the A-Laws troops possessed weaponry far more advanced than what was once the United States military, they remained powerless against the spinning barrels of Cybertron's weapon's specialist, who had configured his weapons to carry an infinite payload of quantum, particle, ion and flame-based projectiles. "You're enjoying this too much," rebuked Ratchet quietly, as Ironhide spun his megacompact fission cannons and released another firestorm into the human army.

"Make no mistake," growled Ironhide. "I fight to defend the Autobots. I don't fight to protect the humans. Long ago, our interests were once mutual. That's all there is." He smirked, looking up at the Aheads. "They think to hunt us down with those? Those Mobile Suits… we may be outsized, but not by a large margin. They still couldn't hold a candle to the strongest Decepticons."

Prime and Bumblebee charged, leaping above the throng of charging panzers. They aimed their barrels upwards and fired, but Bumblebee was far too agile, leaping from tank to tank, grabbing their turrets and wrenching them upwards with the informality of a Cybertronian youngling. His fist descended upon an armoured car, crumpling it into sputtering wreckage. He didn't even bother to draw his proton field gun, for Prime had revealed his own weapons: two broadswords of Cybertronian metallurgy that cut apart anything that they touched. They slid out from compartments built into his forearms, and their intricate blades were glowing with white-hot intensity. With several powerful but frugal strokes, five tanks exploded, split apart in two by his dual swords. He blocked a blast from a mortar with one sword and spun, slicing off the attacking turret. A platoon of humans from below opened fire on him, and he felt thousands of bullets spraying against him, several laser rays smashing into his Cybertronian body, and even a missile from an RPG launcher. With a heavy heart, he lifted his sword and swung, bashing away thirty or so men with the flat of his blade. They hurtled into the air, screaming and bawling as they sprawled painfully along the ground beside their destroyed vehicles.

Bumblebee activated his internal transmitter. "The ground forces are pretty much trounced. How's your end, Setsuna?"

"The other Meisters and I have engaged the Mobile Suits," said Setsuna, thirty thousand feet above the Autobots. He coolly activated 00's primary weapons systems, the upgraded GN-Swords. With a burst of GN particles, 00 sliced apart an Ahead and kicked away another. "Lockon. Allelujah. Tieria. Destroy the Aheads. I'm going to take out the Arche."

"Oi, oi. Leave me a piece of that, will you?" came Lockon's transmission.

"Then hurry and get rid of the riffraff. I can't guarantee I won't tear that Mobile Suit apart." Spinning in the azure sky, Setsuna quickly directed 00 to force itself past two more Aheads, his GN Swords carving them into four pieces of scrap metal. He hurtled towards the maroon, sinister mechanoid that had detached itself from the main fleet, rising slowly to meet 00. They lunged, and the thundering collision of metal resounded throughout the sky.

"So," sighed Lockon, aiming Cherudim's GN Sniper Rifle II at the frontal A-Laws mothership. The massive ordnance deliverer was completely steady in the hands of the Gundam. "Haro? Let's get down to business."

"Target acquired! Target acquired!" cried Haro dutifully. The grid screen beeped, and a circle of red focused around the centre of the mothership. Without delay, Lockon pressed the trigger, and a powerful blast from Cherudim's primary weapon smashed into several Aheads and into the hull of the airborne dreadnought.

"He shoots… and he scores!" He smiled, watching the flagship slowly split into two pieces and plummet thirty thousand feet to the desert earth. "Two more to go, unless they're planning to retreat… and shoot me dead, they are," he quipped, switching on his comlink system. "Yo, Tieria, Allelujah. I think they got the message of our little shock and awe theme. Maybe it's time to do some mopping up."

Arios and Seravee responded by flanking the embattled fleet, blasting away several more Aheads and aiming their main weapons at the second mothership. Allelujah's beam rifles and Tieria's double bazookas were enough to shatter its frame, and surrounded by its falling A-Laws suits, the host craft followed them into oblivion.

Within her command hall, Kati Mannequin gritted her teeth, her mouth dry with rage. "You expect me to fight a good fight, but all I get are expendable forces and a loose dog," she growled. "Just what the hell are the higher ups smoking?" She raised a hand. "I'm not letting this degenerate into a rout. Retreat!"

"Yes, Colonel! All hands, turn this thing around!"

The third and last flagship began to slowly manoeuvre away, and the several dozen remaining Aheads surged forth to delay the Meisters. "That's good enough," said Allelujah, aiming his beam rifle at the remnants. "We're done once we defeat these ones. They've learnt their lesson for today."

Meanwhile, Setsuna's transparent screen crackled inside 00 Gundam and presented a communications monitor with the linked pilot. Garbed in a deep red helmet and suit, his eyes were aflame with perverse bloodlust as he stared into Setsuna's cockpit. "Yo, brat. I see you've let loose those new toys down below."

"They are not toys," snapped Setsuna almost defensively. He smiled inwardly. _No. They are the closest things to gods, like Gundam. But they are sentient. They have self-awareness, just like we humans. And they have joined hands with the Gundams._

_Gundam… and Autobots. We're working together this day. And_…

"And we'll defeat you!" roared Setsuna, his eyes widening in renewed strength as 00 pressed its colossal blades against al-Saachez's GN-Buster Sword. Arche shot back, parrying the angry blows from 00 as its pilot guffawed gleefully.

"Just like old times, eh? Blast him, Fangs!"

Setsuna's eyes widened. "GN-Fangs," he gritted, turning 00 to the right and dodging to intersecting beams of red light. Two more capsules shot out from Arche. Several more crimson lasers criss-crossed around 00's body, threatening to pierce into the Gundam's metal in more places than one. Sweat pouring down his face, Setsuna struggled to keep 00 in flight and struggled harder to keep it in pursuit of al-Saachez. "You're not getting away," he snarled, pressing two buttons on his right and activating Rifle mode. His beam gun shot down a Fang with effortless marksmanship, and 00 turned through the air, destroying another two and forcing al-Saachez to withdraw his last pod. Breathing heavily, Setsuna hurtled towards Arche Gundam, converting to Sword mode. They exchanged several wild, angry swipes, and while al-Saachez's brutality would have once easily overcome Setsuna's relative inexperience, 00 Gundam was now more than a mere Mobile Suit – it was a channel of power in itself. A diagonal swipe from Arche's beam sword narrowly missed Setsuna's head, and he spun, slicing horizontally and cleaving a massive gash across Arche's torso. Exposed circuits sputtered, deprived of their protective armour, and blue, dangerous-looking sparks danced amidst the ruined metal.

Triumph overcame Setsuna. "You're done!" he shouted, smashing his entire Mobile Suit against al-Saachez. "Pull back – or I swear I won't blink an eye whilst I stab this sword into your cockpit!"

"Damn you," said al-Saachez coldly. _That brat can sure whip himself out of a spot quickly_. "I wouldn't be so sure about dying at your hands. But I suppose your little Transformers really are what the boss said they were…"

"What?" snarled Setsuna. His GN-Buster Sword severed the enemy Gundam's right arm, and it fell from the sky. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, my tongue slipped. My bad. Business-related chitchat. Can't let the kiddies be listening in." The mercenary grinned. "I'll say this much. You're good. We wouldn't have it any other way. But my client wants your new friends. He has a use for them, so I can't kill you all today. But when you've outlived your utility, rest assured… I'll enjoy stabbing my knife into your thick little head."

Deprived of its arm, Arche Gundam suddenly launched a knee into 00's torso, hurling it back through the skies over Egypt. Setsuna gritted his teeth, holding onto his controls tightly as he watched al-Saachez beating back a hasty escape. He stared at the retreating Gundam's shrinking form as it followed the fleeing A-Laws fleet. His clammy hands trembled slightly even as the computer screens of his allies appeared on his own monitor.

"Setsuna. Setsuna! Are you alright?" came Allelujah's voice. "You defeated him. I'm glad for that. We've dealt with the rest. Let's head back to the ship and prepare for any new attacks that might come."

"But Ali al-Saachez is just a cog in the machine of the A-Laws… or…" muttered Setsuna. "Could he be working towards an objective beyond that of destroying Celestial Being?"

_I'd never thought about that before. His reference to the Transformers… it's too obvious to be a passing insult_.

"Just what did that murderer mean?" he mumbled. "Tieria Erde – is there something you're not telling us about the Innovators you mentioned some weeks ago?"

"No," came Tieria's voice over the comlink. "What I told you was everything Regene Regetta had revealed to me. Whatever you heard from that mercenary would be news to me, too."

*

_Phase One: To unify the world through Celestial Being's armed interventions. _

_Phase Two: to unite mankind's will through the A-Laws. _

_And finally, Phase Three: to project humanity's existence to outer space, equipped as evolved Innovators for alien interactions._

Already, the first two stages had been achieved, although the first phase had suffered from a discrepancy due to Celestial Being's continued existence. But what of Phase Three? Had Aoelia Schenberg somehow known of the autonomous robots from Cybertron two centuries ago? Could they have inspired him to set into motion a plan to reach such magnificent creatures through mankind's own volition? Did he even predict their return? No, the Innovators were developed in the first place for pushing humanity into space and meet intelligent life. Did the Autobots' homecoming mean little more than a cosmic coincidence? Or did it entail something more?

These and more reflections, both sensible and outrageous, ran through his head as Tieria lifted his helmet from his face. He glanced up as Sumeragi's thrilled words interrupted his train of thought. "Well done, everybody. This was a major success. We would have been flanked and surrounded again were it not for the Autobots. I'm only curious about one thing, however," she added, "and that was the relative ease with which we drove off the A-Laws. Do you think they were testing us?"

"I don't know," sighed Lockon, "but I do know that there's something fishy about that Arche Gundam. I've never seen it operating alongside the A-Laws."

"Setsuna. Did he say something to you that prompted your question to me?" asked Tieria.

"We'll talk about that later. I'm tired," said the 00 pilot honestly. He turned to exit the control antechamber of Ptolemaios, but paused just as the doors slid shut behind him. "Don't forget that we weren't the only ones who defeated the A-Laws today."

Lockon smiled as Setsuna disappeared off to his room. "We're way ahead of you. Allelujah, Marie, Mileina, and Feldt have already left for the docking bay. Don't you want to go, too? Sumeragi." He rested his arm on top of the backrest, and she peered up at him as he winked. "You're getting reasonably cosy with their top robot, aren't you? I don't think the A-Laws will be coming back for a while. You should take a break, Lasse can take over."

She looked away bashfully. "Oh, don't say that. Although…"

She smiled up into the ship's display, which was presenting a wide, panoramic view of the Great Pyramids. "We've finally arrived at the destination Optimus suggested. I'd like to thank him. I'll take him straight to Giza. Lockon, I'd appreciate it if you could help me contact the Katharon forces in Cairo. I think it's about time Klaus Grado and Shirin Bakhtiar were acquainted with our new allies."

Lockon grinned. "A sound idea. I'm on it, Ma'am."


	4. Chapter 3: Takbir

**Chapter 3: Takbir**

"Why do we have to stay down here in the hangar? This is dull."

"Because we're too big, Bumblebee. Only a bay that accommodates Gundams can contain us."

"Maybe you and I should tear some holes into the main halls, Ratchet. Then we won't be sitting here, wasting away like human prisoners."

"Technically we _can't_ waste away, Ironhide," said Ratchet dryly.

"I was told we'd be touching down in Egypt soon. I don't remember how humans measure time, but it can't be too many more space-cycles." Prime adjusted himself, sitting to Ironhide's left as the four Autobots lounged against the immense wall of the ship. Bumblebee sat with his legs spread apart, and he reached out to scratch at the docked Arios Gundam's toe in boredom. Ratchet sat upright in a more orderly position whilst the cranky Ironhide had his arms crossed impatiently. Prime smiled slightly at the restlessness of his troops. They had known nothing except war and galactic migration since the Battle of Tyger Pax. Had it already been so many millennia since Cybertron had fallen to the war between him and Megatron?

Guilt welled up in his spark. "I've caused the deaths of so many," he whispered, closing his optics in meditation.

"Optimus!" echoed Mileina's voice. Prime perked up in surprise as she, Feldt, Allelujah, and an unfamiliar girl of white hair emerged from the elevator and made their way towards the bored Autobots. "Thank you, thank you, _thank you_ so much for such a successful operation!" cried the bouncy engineer. "We would've been in deep doo-doo if you didn't take out their army while we dealt with their air force."

"You're welcome. Anytime," replied Bumblebee happily, pleased that company was now at hand.

"This is Marie Parfacy," said a smiling Allelujah, gesturing to the silver-haired girl. "We have known one another since childhood."

The lass stepped forward, her yellow eyes wide in wonder. "So… you are from the planet of Cybertron?" she confirmed.

"Wonderful," snapped Ironhide. "Yet more human data to store in my catalogue."

"For a commander of Cybertron's elite Autobots, you whine a great deal," snorted Ratchet. He looked down at Marie and Allelujah, scanning them with a gentle wave of red light from the side of his head. "You are not normal organic beings."

"No," admitted Marie, "but we're friends of Celestial Being." She smiled up at Ratchet. "And I hope we'll be good friends, too."

Prime felt slightly disappointed that Sumeragi had not descended into the hangar bay, but he understood that she was most likely exhausted. "Feldt," he said, turning to the pink-haired beauty. "May I ask you if we have approached Cairo yet?"

Feldt nodded in affirmation. "Oh, we're quite close. I actually should be heading back up to initiate the landing procedures. We'll be descending in about thirty minutes. Take care for now… you deserve a long rest." She turned away, looking back and smiling at Bumblebee, who waved.

"We'll return, too," said Allelujah. "We just wanted to thank you for our most recent success against the A-Laws. We're about to meet with Katharon's leaders, and although we're not allies, we share a common cause in overthrowing the Earth Sphere Federation's current government."

"Katharon?" asked Ratchet. "Another anti-A-Laws force?"

"Yes," said Allelujah. "One of our Meisters, Lockon Stratos, knows – "

"All hands, please return to deck," came Sumeragi's voice through the speakers high above the hangar. "All hands, we're preparing descent into Egypt. Please ready yourselves."

Prime looked up and nodded in approval. "Now, I will have the chance to see the Great Pyramids for myself once again. And I hope that Setsuna and Sumeragi can accompany me there."

*

Cairo.

One could measure the usefulness of a country to the A-Laws simply by gauging how much it had changed since the advent of the Orbital Elevators. And Cairo had changed very little. Its population was composed mainly of Muslims and Coptic Christians, many of who had participated in the resistance against the monopolization of the Orbital Elevators by three world governments. The Arab nations were disadvantaged further when the Earth Sphere Federation came into existence, although Egypt was fortunate enough to have not been as oil-dependent as nations like Azadistan. Still, this was a largely forsaken city, although its inhabitants were life loving and tenacious. As a result, it continued to exist, despite the systematic destruction of the other Arab nations. How far a proud people had fallen!

It had been three hours since Ptolemaios activated its cloaking shield and landed behind the Pyramid of Khufu. Setsuna and Lockon had left the safety of the spacecraft in the direction of the bustling metropolis. The city now possessed two faces: the first was one of a sophisticated and urban Muslim elite that were privy to government policy and the transactions of businesses in weapons technology. The second side was one of utter misery, isolation, and destitution, reflected in the back streets and the shabby marketplaces behind the main metropolitan centres. Poverty, desperation, and a naïve yearning for a more humane chance for living: these were all reflected in the sad irises of old men that had seen decades of exploitation and political deceit. They were reflected in the apprehensive but curious faces of children that had yet to understand the social ostracization they were suffering. They had yet to understand the desperation that would deceive them into becoming not noble warriors of Allah, but suicidal terrorists.

Setsuna could do little except understand that they all had their reasons for engaging in holy war. Sometimes they were not even desperate. They may have truly believed in the dogma of madmen. For the Gundam Meister, it had been a combination of both. And that was his greatest sin – the failure to listen to the voice of conscience within him, wherever it came from.

"_Peace be upon you, human child. You have suffered so much_."

"Optimus Prime…" whispered Setsuna, his face scrunching in thought. _Do the Innovators plan to corrupt yet another agent of redemption? They've already distorted Veda and Aoelia Schenberg's vision. What are they going to do with the Cybertronians_?

"Yo, Setsuna. This way," whispered Lockon, as the taller man suddenly veered into a secluded alley. Setsuna blinked and followed, ignoring the beggars groaning for pity by the roadside. A horse carriage – a relic from a bygone era – trotted past him. They were still common in this district, famous for its backwardness when the main hub of the city had moved on and joined the community of the Federation. The sunlight filtered through the wooden windows on the shabby units above Setsuna as he stopped before a tall man of Central Asian descent and a woman of Middle Eastern ethnicity. Lockon hurried forward and clasped hands with the man, chuckling heartily but keeping his voice low. "Ah, Klaus. I'm glad you could make it."

"Anything for a good friend, Lyle," replied Klaus, nodding in relief. He was garbed frugally – a khaki-coloured set of trousers and shirt was all that composed his attire, along with a long coat and military boots. "Shirin. Do you remember Lockon Stratos?"

"Of course," replied Shirin. Dressed in a dark grey shirt and slightly baggy trousers, she stepped forward, peering severely at Lockon through her glasses. "And Setsuna F. Seiei, too. You were quite the troublemaker in Azadistan four years back."

Setsuna remained aloof. "We can't let anyone catch us here. We have important news."

"Yes. I was told your new allies are here in Egypt, on standby just nearby the Great Pyramids. Where are they from? Are they an anti-government body? Or are they working within the A-Laws? Turncoats, perhaps?"

"I think you'll need to see them to believe us," muttered Lockon.

"Tell us now," said Shirin impatiently. "What could possibly be so special about – "

_Bang_.

Klaus barked in warning and pushed Shirin roughly aside as a bullet zipped past his arm. He glanced back as a turbaned man disappeared behind the wall ahead and another stepped out from the other side, clutching an automatic rifle. Screams from scattering civilians could be heard up ahead. "They chased us all the way here?!" shouted Lockon.

Setsuna quickly whipped out his pistol and fired at their assailant, puncturing his shoulder and arm with two neat bullets. The assassin dropped to his knees, but his right hand remained on the rifle's trigger, and he began to spray out a hail of lethal metal carelessly, screaming in pain and rage as Lockon and Klaus dived for cover behind a fragile barrel, taking Shirin with them. Setsuna quickly took advantage of the narrow alleyway's environment and sprinted up the side of the old-style wall, evading the initial hail of bullets before firing an immaculate shot into the berserk man's skull. He flopped to the ground, silent, and the scream of the gun died with him. As he landed on the sandy, hard ground, Setsuna quickly rolled out of the alley's entrance and pointed his pistol at the remaining gunman to his left, who dropped his weapon in shock – he had not expected his targets to gain the upper hand so swiftly. The main street was paralysed with terror, and only a few people remained watching in morbid fascination – the rest had wisely fled. "Who are you? Who sent you?"

The turbaned man trembled and bolted. He hadn't progressed three paces when he collapsed, his pierced legs disabled by Setsuna. He thumped painfully onto the sand. He cried out in agony as the Kurdish youth turned his body over and grabbed the scruff of his collar. "Answer me!"

"It – it was an unnamed client," gasped the assassin. "We… we were only told that we were eliminating anti-Federation agents."

Setsuna's eyes narrowed. "You're working for the A-Laws?!"

"If we are, they never told us," cried the disarmed man.

Setsuna swore to himself as he glanced back at the forms of Klaus, Shirin and Lockon. "Are you all unharmed?" he asked, keeping a firm grip on the incapacitated hired gun.

Lockon nodded earnestly. "Let's get to the Ptolemaios. This place was never safe, and it's probably going to stay that way. I have a feeling no matter where we go; there'll be someone trying to hunt us down."

"Agreed," said Setsuna. "Klaus Grado. Shirin Bakhtiar. We're retreating to Celestial Being. Our ship is cloaked. It should be a safe refuge for the moment."

"Just wait, Setsuna," said Shirin. "Wait for the Princess. She should be ready now. I'll tell her the danger has passed."

Setsuna's heart skipped a beat. "Marina Ismail?"

"None other," said Shirin, permitting herself a small smile. "She's been thinking about you, Setsuna F. Seiei. She told me that much."

*

_Night. Giza_

Ratchet had wisely offered to act as the Autobots' representative in Prime's absence. Moody Ironhide and bouncing Bumblebee certainly would not have qualified. The tripartite meeting between Sumeragi, Ratchet and Klaus had borne much fruit. No formal alliance had been cemented yet, but with Ratchet's cooperation, Sumeragi and Klaus were confident that their tactical advantage over the A-Laws was substantially stronger than ever. The mood was cautiously optimistic on the Ptolemaios as the crew at last allowed themselves a short respite after many weeks of space, sky, sea and land skirmishes. But with the Autobots' assistance, it was highly unlikely they would ever fall victim to a flank attack again.

Prime had ventured out of the Ptolemaios, standing a short distance from the Great Pyramids and gazing outwards to the endless desert beyond the spires of Cairo. He lost track of time, and simply stared into the night as the stars glimmered above him. He did not even notice Sumeragi's tiny hand tapping on his metal toe until she called out his name. She asked him if she could join him. He answered in the affirmative, and for several minutes, they shared company in silence, admiring the distant celestial satellites dancing across the dome of Earth.

"It is beautiful," he breathed, unable to restrain himself. "It is just as I remembered, so many centuries ago. How lazy the ages!" He glanced down at the commander of Celestial Being. "Human beings never cease to amaze me."

Sumeragi beamed. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"Where is Soran Ibrahim?" he asked.

"He couldn't come with me. He's currently… occupied with Marina Ismail for the meantime. It seems that you're stuck with me."

"I wish to talk more with him. That boy is special. I can feel it." He paused. "Are you not cold? Your human systems might suffer damage. Ah, but of course. The desert is your home, isn't it? You're used to its elements."

"You think you know everything about me just because you scanned my data in Ptolemaios's database, don't you?" She glanced up, playfully raising her hand and pointed down to the sandy ground. Prime compliantly kneeled and lowered his palm, and like before, she climbed on. Soft human flesh and fabric touched unbreakable Cybertronian steel. He raised her to his chest level, and she held onto his raised index finger like the mast of those long-extinct seafaring ships. They smiled at each other again.

"Let us go for a walk," he suggested quietly, and she nodded in consent. He began to move, and for several minutes, his feet ambled reverently and endearingly, strolling further away from the regal Pyramids. Sumeragi sighed in blissful repose as the two commanders fell into silence again. His pace was relaxed and meandering, thumping gently on the endless bed of sand, as if taking care not to squash any organic denizens hiding in the granules, such as lizards or snakes. But of course, she observed silently to herself. He figuratively _breathed_ compassion.

"Is this enjoyable, Leesa?" he asked, looking down at her serenely.

"Yes… very much so," she replied, entranced by the night desert's solemn beauty. She felt a wonder stirring within her heart that she had not discovered since her first victory alongside Kati and Emilio. Her tactical forecasting, and her prodigal talent in sealing the opponent's defeat, was what once motivated her to use her gifts to end conflict in the world. The events that occurred four years ago broke that motivation. It was resurrected somewhat by Celestial Being's reliance on her forecasting, but it had never been quite complete. Now, she looked up into Prime's azure, unearthly eyes, and she realized why she felt such exhilaration in his presence.

All it took was one battle, and they already made a fantastic team.

"Optimus, I…" She looked up and spoke, trying to express her gratitude, her appreciation for his collaboration, when he suddenly paused.

"Do you hear that?" he whispered suddenly.

"I'm sorry?" she asked, noticing instantly the change in his demeanour.

He turned around, cuddling her close to his metal chest. "Behind us. Look," he whispered. From the distance, the spires of Cairo had ignited in an all-consuming inferno, and the dark sky above was bright with fire and brimstone. The rumbling of Mobile Suits could be heard, and the strange buzzing of an unusually high frequency could be parsed out.

"The city… all the people there," whispered Prime. "What could cause such instantaneous destruction? Let us hurry, we must act."

The unmistakable waft of smoke and the terrible, smouldering sky was simply too much. "No!" cried Sumeragi in dread, losing her composure slightly. Her hopes for respite had been dashed yet again. Even if they were Celestial Being, why were they constantly forced on the run, like game fleeing hunting dogs? Why could she never enjoy even a brief moment of peace with her allies? "No!"

"Leesa!" urged Prime, looking down at her tenderly. "Together, we can defeat them. The city needs us."

Gritting her teeth and clutching his finger harder than was necessary, she pulled out a handheld transceiver from her pocket. "This is an emergency order: Cairo is under attack by unknown forces! It could be the A-Laws! Whatever it is, we have to stop them! All combat personnel, scramble!

"I repeat – all Meisters and Autobots, _scramble_!"

*

"All Meisters and Autobots, scramble! Head to your stations and prepare for emergency orders!"

Sumeragi's voice echoed throughout the bright corridors of the spacecraft. Setsuna was the first to respond, having floated out of his room, followed by an anxious, black-haired beauty. Clothed in military garments that did not suit her, her deep blue eyes were mired in anxiety. "Setsuna!" she cried. "Return safely. I beg you."

"I will return," he said shortly. "I swear it." He slipped on his sky-blue helmet, and it clicked firmly in place. He gave a curt nod to Marina Ismail, the fugitive princess of Azadistan, who clasped her hands in fretful prayer. The journey to his Mobile Suit felt like an eternity. Even the elevator and the tunnel shortcut to the hangar felt tedious as he recalled Marina's words:

"_That letter you wrote to me… I still keep it, and I read fragments of it to the children. I don't know why I feel this way, but sometimes it seems they understand every word_."

He blinked, and he had arrived. He made his way to 00's docking bay, floating into his cockpit and sliding close the compartment. Activating the Gundam, he initiated its launch sequence as lights sprang up on the screens and controls around him. There was no time; he had to act quickly. _Damn it. And Ian doesn't want us to use Trans-Am until he's finished the preparations_.

"00 Gundam, Setsuna F. Seiei. Heading out!" he cried, as the Mobile Suit roared to life. He hurtled out the gargantuan tunnel that was the launch passageway for 00, and his eyes fell upon a burning city, surrounded by desert and green lushness and nourished by the Nile River. "Damn those A-Laws," he snarled, shooting like a comet towards the ruined skyscrapers. "Allelujah! Can you make out our targets?"

"So far, only two," replied the pilot of Arios Gundam. His gold and silver eye widened as the smoke and debris cleared slightly, revealing two large Mobile Suits on his display screen. "They're – they're not A-Laws!"

"What?" questioned Ratchet, his lime-green ATF Dingo mode rolling smoothly across the sands past the pyramids and towards Cairo. Above him flew the forms of Cherudim and Seravee. "Who are we fighting, then?"

"Keep an eye out for Decepticons," warned Bumblebee, as he sped alongside Ironhide's tactical Valuk mode. Bumblebee's bright yellow humvee mode hardly made for a good disguise, but it was a much hardier vehicle than the 2009 Camaro he had once assimilated into his system. He only wished that he had a sportier civilian car mode to utilize. "Considering we fled from them after their attack on the Charii star system, they've been unusually quiet. This might be a trap."

"No," whispered Setsuna, staring at the Mobile Suits. "They're neither A-Laws nor Decepticons."

They were Mobile Suits, similar in exoskeletal design and based on the designs of Gundams. One was of a pearly white colour tinged with aqua green, and another was of a darker hue, especially at the spiked shoulderplates, torso and feet. Emitting red GN particles from false solar furnaces, they loomed over the approaching Meisters, and Setsuna could vaguely hear Allelujah yelling out a warning of some sort to the Autobots on the ground. But that no longer mattered.

The quantum tinkling had returned, and it refused to leave his head. He blinked, and he saw… crimson particles.

Gadessa.

Garazzo.

"So this is what Ribbons planned for us," came a relaxed, youthful voice from the Gadessa. His words could be clearly heard across the receivers of every Meister's cockpit. "So… Gundam… _and_ Transformers. Are you ready, Bring Stabity?"

"Of course. We'll proceed as instructed, Revive Revival. We will retrieve the GN Drives of Celestial Being… _and_ the sparks that give the Cybertronians their eternal lives as sentient robots."

Setsuna's hands tightened around his levers as the hovering Gadessa aimed a colossal cannon at him whilst the Garazzo drew and activated its beam sabres. He spoke only one word in reply.

"Innovators."


	5. Chapter 4: Innovation and Transformation

**Chapter 4: Innovation and Transformation**

Setsuna glared at the Gaddessa as particles began to gather within the barrel of its enormous GN Mega Launcher. "Why have you done this? Innovators," he growled. "Attacking Cairo in a fit of cowardice won't achieve your master's goals, I hope." He glanced down at the corpse-littered streets, flames dancing amongst the rubble of buildings and smashed wreckage of civilian vehicles.

"This is all according to the master plan of Aeolia Schenberg," replied Revive Revival through the comlink. "I won't say anything more to entities that have outlived their expediency."

A massive shaft of energy vomited forth from the Gaddessa, and Setsuna barely managed to dodge the particle cannon's attack when the Garazzo's beam sabre fell upon him. He spun into the night sky, hoping to take the Innovators with him and away from the civilian sector.

Revive smiled. "Good thinking, but you're staying down here."

Setsuna grunted in shock as a huge katana built for a Mobile Suit smashed into him from his side, and he felt 00 plummeting back down towards the waiting Innovators. He opened his eyes and glanced at the screen, his chestnut eyes falling upon a deep red suit with a crest similar to the Samurai of ancient legend. "Who – ?"

"I've been waiting for this," came an angry male voice. "The chance to see your Gundam at its full power! Fight me, boy!"

"It can't be!" whispered Setsuna. "It's… you!" His eyes narrowed. "Your so-called warrior's code compelled you to join with _these_ murderers?"

"Save the ethics for times of peace. In times of war, all that matters is the fight!" roared the man that had self-styled himself as Mister Bushido. Known by his deceased comrades and Billy Katagiri as Graham Aker, he quickly input commands for his Flag to draw another powerful blade with its free hand. "Yes. Look upon my Masurao, boy, and know the iron will of a man that has nothing left except to test his strength in this world against yours!" he cried, shooting towards Setsuna from the dark heavens. As Setsuna rose to meet the incoming attack, Gadessa re-aimed its Mega Launcher at 00's exposed back. It began to charge, sucking in power like a whirlpool devouring ships. Soon, it would be ready to fire again.

"Revive. We have company," came Bring Stabity's voice over the comlink.

"Don't spoil my fun," sighed Revive, glancing down. Below the clashing Mobile Suits, Bumblebee skidded along the road's tarmac, quickly transforming and aiming his proton cannon up at the Garazzo. Yellow plates slid along a silver exoskeleton, locking comfortably into place as Earthen-disguised Cybertronian armour. "A big one we got here," he whistled.

"Nothing we can't handle," growled Ironhide, who transformed into his fearsome robot mode alongside Ratchet. Seamlessly, effortlessly, their alternate modes of tactical vehicles disappeared into their humanoid forms. "We'll take care of these two oversized tins of armour." Amidst the ruins of Cairo's city square, he deployed his quad cannons and aimed them upwards. He fired without pomp or fanfare, and four ion missiles hurtled towards Revive's Mobile Suit. Revive was taken by surprise and thrown off-balance. His suit spinning from the anti-air attacks, he glared down at the Autobots, turning to face them with his GN Mega Launcher.

"Welcome to Earth," he smiled, and pulled the trigger.

"Out of the way," roared Ironhide, rolling smoothly across the ground and separating from Ratchet and Bumblebee. The immediate vicinity exploded in a vast sphere of incinerating energy, and for a moment, the Autobots' optics were blinded. Ratchet was hurled aside and Bumblebee crashed into the ground, unprepared for such power. "Damn that kid – "

"You cannot defy us," declared Bring, soaring towards Bumblebee and smashing him into a crumbling building. The flying suit possessed a tactical advantage, and Ratchet's lasers failed to hit the agile Innovator assault unit as Bring steered it towards Ironhide. The Autobot fearlessly and defiantly fired eight ion missiles at Garazzo, and while it managed to slip past four, the remained quartet smashed into its side, causing and explosion to rip through the flank of its torso. Bring gritted his teeth and pulled, directing Garazzo upwards as Cherudim, Arios and Seravee soared past the sprawled Bumblebee. "More reinforcements," warned Bring, as he blocked a lunging Ratchet with his sword. He directed Garazzo to reveal its GN Beam Guns and sent several dozen rounds pummelling into the Autobot's body. Ratchet groaned and collapsed, his body sizzling with critical damage. "But we should be able to handle them," he smirked, as Ironhide roared in rage and charged.

Revive noticed the black Cybertronian nearing the Garazzo. He quickly punched in a sequence of offensive commands, and the GN Thruster activated, propelling it towards Ironhide. Gadessa's sheer size and momentum smashed away the Autobot, and the former quickly drew out two beam sabres. Two angry flames spat out from the handles and bore down upon Ironhide, carving a large cross across his torso that almost severed his two arms. He reeled and fell back, twitching as his ebony armour fizzled and smouldered.

"Ratchet! Ironhide!" cried Allelujah.

"Are you done yet, Mister Bushido?" called a pleased Revive. "I thought you said you would cut down 00 like melting butter." Having defeated Ratchet, Bring also looked back at Aker, but his momentary distraction allowed an angry Bumblebee's proton cannon to blow another hole in his Garazzo.

"Do not interfere!" roared Aker, directing Masurao's leg to kick at 00's chest. Setsuna's Mobile Suit was hurled back, and the upgraded Flag charged, raising its swords. "I have burned with vengeance and the desire to avenge my comrades for four years! You will not deny me this providential opportunity!"

_Dream on_, thought Setsuna wildly. _I've had enough of you_! But he was unprepared for Masurao's surprise manoeuvre: it hurled its katana towards him, and as he steered 00's arm to block the unusual projectile, Masurao lunged in a thrusting stance, clutching the blade with both gauntleted hands. Setsuna blanched. Was the Flag pilot attempting to slay him in one perilous gamble?

"You presume I'm throwing away everything… but I have nothing to lose!"

Aker roared in triumph as the katana pierced into 00's head, and the latter slumped, with its pilot desperately attempting to regain control over the damaged system. Masurao wrenched the sword out of the sizzling metal. "Four years to prove the Flag's superiority. I could fight for a hundred years more! But now it's over." He raised its sword. "Die with honour, boy. It's the least you could do to atone for your crimes."

"_And fire_!" roared Lockon, as his GN Sniper shot towards Aker. _He's as good as gone_, he thought triumphantly.

Masurao, in a stunning feat of reflexes and agility, bent backwards at the waist, allowing the sniping shot from Cherudim to graze past its torso and head. It spun, recovering, and hurled itself at the temporarily incapacitated 00, only to be blocked by Arios and Seravee. They struggled to push each other away, their swords screeching against the other. Lockon gaped in utter shock as he and Haro hastily prepared another round of ordnance. "No way. Who is that guy?"

"A strong warrior! A strong warrior!" chirped Haro.

"This is not ideal. This is not what I wanted," snarled Aker, as Masurao began to weaken from the combined force of Arios and Seravee. While Aker enjoyed the advantage of two katana, Seravee's four secret compartments opened up, bringing down four more beam sabres onto Masurao. Four corresponding explosions rocked the city as Masurao reeled, damaged at its shoulderjoints and knees. Shaken by the unexpected counterattack, it tore back up into the star-studded firmament, away from the smoking skyscrapers of Cairo. "This is not what I came for. But if you insist on protecting the boy only I have the right to kill, then I will leave." It strained to dodge several projectiles from Arios's beam rifle as it fled the sundered battlefield. Mister Bushido was retreating, and whilst Allelujah quickly turned his attention to Revive, Tieria continued to fire shot after shot up at the shrinking Masurao. Aker smirked scornfully as he calmly evaded every one of them. "I have business with neither of you."

"You have business with me," snarled an adamant Tieria, combining his GN-Bazookas to form the fearsome Double Bazooka. Massive metal plates slid into place and hummed, glowing with luminous particles. But before he could ready his weapon's full power, Bring Stabity activated the damaged Garazzo's Beam Claws and directed them to slash at Seravee. Tieria activated his GN Field, and a vast sphere of green energy burst into existence and enveloped his Gundam… but the molten-hot claws were already, slowly, breaking through. Tieria groaned in exertion, his gloved hands gripping his gears forcefully as he fought against the momentum of Garazzo.

"Your purpose is null if you defy your own kind, your own purpose, Tieria," growled Bring. "Regene offered you a choice before. This is the last time we'll give you that chance. Recant, and join the reformers of the world… Innovator."

Tieria snarled. "I am no Innovator, but a human – "

"_**Enough**_," boomed a mighty voice.

In the wake of that potent, majestic thunder, silence rang out across all communication frequencies for several moments, until Allelujah's breathless words jolted the stunned combatants back into the present. "We're glad you're here."

"Whoo. You can say that again," grinned Lockon.

Bumblebee lowered his proton cannon in reverent acknowledgement, and Revive clenched his teeth. "So this… this is the legendary 'god' Ribbons warned us of… the ancient sentinel that watched over Earth prior to Aeolia Schenberg."

An instantly recognizable blue, red and silver titan stood atop the roof of a relatively unscathed hotel. He gazed sombrely at the two Innovators; this was his first encounter with beings of genetic manipulation and nanotechnology. Powerless in his damaged Mobile Suit, Setsuna let out a sigh of relief and awe. _So you have come_, he thought.

_Optimus Prime_.

Lowering its claws slightly, Garazzo slowly turned to face him. "Your purpose on this planet… is also obsolete. It has been superseded for centuries," echoed Bring's voice. "Unless, that is, you have chosen to participate in a new meaning. The meaning of Innovation."

"Our purpose remains the same as it was at the beginning of time. It is a principle that can summed up in just one word." With a quiet shift, Prime's knees suddenly bent.

"_Protect_."

He lunged and leaped from the rooftop with alarming aggression, his arms reaching outwards. Bring was too late in reacting, and the Autobot leader, approximately half the size of the Mobile Suit, was now hanging tenaciously off its leg, raising a hand to plunge into Garazzo's armour. Completely off-balance, Bring tried throwing him off, but Prime held on, roaring as the Innovator pilot desperately directed his own Mobile Suit towards a building, attempting to smash Prime against it. The Cybertronian commander grunted in trauma and pain as his body bashed into the stone and metal repeatedly, but he refused to release Garazzo even as it spiralled haphazardly into the sky. A vacuum of air batted Prime's ancient face. "Innovators, hm?" he growled. "Your piloting skills are rather sloppy for someone who lays claim to such grand authority over human beings."

"Let go, you metal ape," barked Bring, his grating armour on the verge of falling apart from the consecutive attacks it had suffered. He attempted to blast Prime away with his Beam Guns, but the latter simply shrugged them off. He slashed down with his Beam Claws, cleaving painfully into Prime's shoulder, but the other did not flinch; he only tightened his grip and Garazzo lurched in mid-flight, creaking dangerously. Bring's eyes widened. "You – you're a fool to cling on like this – "

"My turn, boy," snarled Prime.

With a rolling _boom_, he smashed his fist into the Mobile Suit's leg, tearing out a hefty chunk of hissing circuitry and dented steel. He brutally punched into Garazzo again and again, before sliding out his Cybertronian sword and plunging it deep into the mechanoid's knee. A deafening screech and explosion rocked the battleground. He yanked to sever Garazzo's lower limb and released it, allowing himself to plummet to the earth as the mechanoid's lower body exploded in a haze of purple smoke.

"Damn… damn you," grimaced a furious Bring, tapping desperately at his controls to maintain altitude. But it was only a matter of time before he would have to abandon his heavily damaged armour.

"Your weapons are powerful. But you talk down to my people as well as your own, and from that alone I can tell that your evolution is far from complete," called Prime, as his feet smashed into the road beside several blazing towers, creating a small shockwave that hurled several destroyed cars into the air. He crouched and glanced up at the four Gundams of Celestial Being. For now, they enjoyed the advantage. He was glad he could do at least something to help.

"Bring! Hurry, we're retreating," shouted Revive, who was loath at the prospect of facing the combined firepower of Cherudim, Arios and Seravee. His Gadessa shot up into the sky, away from Bumblebee's missiles, and then retreated towards the luminous stars. "Ribbons has recalled us. We can't afford to fight them at half-strength. Come on, don't fall behind."

Bring cursed quietly and pressed the _eject_ switch. Garazzo was far too damaged to continue fighting in. "We will meet again. This I swear."

His escape pod burst from behind and followed the trail of false GN particles left behind by the Gadessa. It was a small spacecraft equipped with a minimalist defence system, configured more for speed and flight. It was understandable. It was essentially an admission of defeat. The red particles from the false GN Drives may have looked more sinister than those that powered the true solar furnaces of Celestial Being, but in the end, fakes were fakes. It was now apparent. The beings Celestial Being struggled against were not invincible.

Prime raised himself high, staring bleakly at the remnants of Cairo.

The city had been reduced to a wasteland, completely silent save for the crackling of untamed infernos and the wailing of ambulances that had managed to survive the Innovators' initial bombardment. Though it may have been steeped in corruption and poverty, at least it enjoyed the status of an ancient capital on which economic and cultural crossroads had been built in the name of mutual benefit and understanding.

Now, those crossroads could no longer be travelled. They had been trammelled into the sand of Egypt, crushed into oblivion by the feet of mammoth mechanoids.

Through his display screen, Setsuna looked at Prime gloomily, and the other's countenance was equally grave.

"I would ask you to carry my injured soldiers back to your ship."

*

Thanks to the Autobot leader's intervention, the combined force of the Gundams and Cybertronians were able to repel the Innovators and Mister Bushido. But the victory was not followed by euphoria. Bumblebee, Ratchet and Ironhide had been hurt, although Ratchet was still capable of tending to his injured comrades. The defeat of the Garazzo had been almost total, but the tenacity and power of the Masurao was at once surprising and disturbing. The fact that the enemy had resorted to destroying entire cities to force Celestial Being's hand was… disheartening, to say the least.

More disturbingly, Tieria's consciousness had suddenly begun fading in and out; his headache had grown agonizingly painful ever since he had stepped out of his cockpit. "This isn't right," he whispered, as he lay on his bed in the infirmary. He rolled to his left, then to his right, unable to still himself as he clutched at his cranium. "Those Innovators – they're tampering with Veda! Aoelia Schenberg – he could not have possibly wanted humanity to war against alien races. The very reason why Veda released our Gundams' Trans-Am capabilities was so that we had the strength to bring peace to Earth!"

"Hang in there, buddy," encouraged Lockon, who stood by the side of the bed. His hands moved to cover Tieria's body with a thin blanket. "Take it easy. Think about it later – you can't rest like this."

"I – can't – rest," gritted Tieria. He fell silent, groaning. _It's more than just Veda. It's more than just these quantum brainwaves. I can feel a power greater than any seeking to assimilate itself into the global consciousness of Innovation_…

Lockon's expression was disconcerted and troubled. "What's going on here?"

Tieria looked up at him desperately, his eyes wild and his face coated in sweat.

_It couldn't be… coming from Cybertron… could it_?

*

_Hangar bay_

"The Innovators goaded us into a trap," said Setsuna grimly, looking first at Sumeragi, and then at Prime. "Revive Revival and Bring Stabity. Those two will definitely be making sorties against us alongside the A-Laws… now we're on the back foot again, since those Innovators have resorted to large-scale assaults against us."

"Going so far as to attack an entire city just to lure us out," whispered Sumeragi regretfully. "Their methods are as horrible as those of the A-Laws!"

"No," said Setsuna. "These methods were planned all along. There's good reason to believe higher authorities within the Federation have become puppets of the Innovators."

Sumeragi glanced at Prime's torn shoulder. "Optimus… you must have Ratchet heal you, quickly," she insisted.

Prime responded slowly and heavily, as if he could barely comprehend her. "Four years ago… Aeolia Schenberg's designs for this world were corrupted. I know that much. But what happened to Veda, and how it shall change humankind, is still a mystery to me. I can only draw conjectures and suppositions from what I have already learned."

"How do you know of Aeolia's plans?" asked Setsuna, his eyebrow raised.

"I told him what we know so far," lied Sumeragi quickly. She dared not to assume that her compatriots trusted Prime as much as she did – to the extent of forgiving him for assimilating all of Ptolemaios's information into his database. "But we all know Aeolia's plan failed – we weren't able to bring about a world free from conflict."

"Because at that time, there was a crucial piece of the equation missing within Veda. I suspect these Innovators, while entertaining goals different from ours, also made preparations for non-human life forms," said Prime. "I may be incorrect. But I believe Aeolia's objective is to bring about a direct, planetary dialogue between Cybertron and Earth."

"Direct dialogue?" clarified Setsuna, his eyes widening slightly. "Then our GN Drives… and what Tieria Erde told us. It's all oriented towards the purpose of this planetary contact?"

Prime closed his optical sensors. "Freedom is the right of all sentient beings – but these so-called Innovators violate that due. Setsuna, Sumeragi – I'm glad I've given my aid to Celestial Being. Together, we will stop them."

*

_Unknown location_

"You do realize this was not the original plan stored in Veda, yes?" asked Regene Regetta, an androgynous, beautiful man who bore a remarkable likeness to the fourth Meister of Celestial Being. The doppelganger to Tieria Erde looked up at the leader of the Innovators, who moved to descend from the lofty balcony in their opulent, comfortable atrium. "So what if Aeolia Schenberg was a man of catholic interests? You thought Tieria's defection was uncalled for. But Veda was clearly designed to be interfaced by Tieria as well as ourselves. Ignoring that is simply turning a blind eye to the realities of Aeolia's intentions."

Dressed in crisp, white and silver attire, Ribbons Almark smiled. "It is you who does not understand the motivations of that great man." He slowly walked down the stairs, his shoes tapping on the luxurious rug. "We Innovators… are the greatest weapons against the Transformers. Our purpose is not only to guide mankind into the new age, but also to deal with alien threats that impede our progress to perfection. And they, the Cybertronians, are the most advanced sentient beings to ever traverse the galaxy. Schenberg predicted that their departure two centuries ago would not be permanent." Almark's eyes began to glow. "As the great-great grandson of the Witwicky-Schenberg bloodline, he knew that they would return to the planet that has become inexorably tied with their own destiny."

"If you're asserting that, then the alliance between Celestial Being and the Autobots should concern you a great deal."

"For me, they are merely the next stage in our advancement," said Almark. "I need Celestial Being as my paramilitary enemy for my vision towards world unity. Your attempts to convert Tieria were noted but unnecessary. What's more, we need not concern ourselves with Autobot contact." His lip curled. "I have no interest in beings that flaunt their superiority over humans. There is more at stake, and that concerns the very survival of Earth."

Regene held back a scornful smile as Almark continued his self-meditation. "Yes. We must build our power amongst the corpses of Celestial Being and the charred ruins of the Autobots… so that we Innovators, the heirs to mankind's future, will be strong enough to withstand the future Decepticon invasion."


	6. Chapter 5: Prime's Story

A/N: All material about Optimus Prime's life history is movie canon, as in it (should) correspond to all the information given in the Transformers and Revenge of The Fallen movies, all the comics released in their names, and all the games and books released in their names... with a moderate dash of author's liberties.

P.S. Happy holidays, dear readers. ^o^

*

**Chapter 5: Prime's Story**

"And so after a desperate struggle, Sam Witwicky helped us defeat the harbinger of death, Megatron. But a terrible price had been paid – we had lost Jazz and countless human lives to the Decepticons, along with a huge portion of the All Spark, the Cube that had brought life to our homeworld. Worse, these tragedies were not to be the end of our archenemy, the traitor that betrayed our race. But that… is a story for another early morning," finished Ratchet, smiling down at the enthralled faces of Feldt, Lasse, Mileina and even Ian. Even as midnight blanketed Africa in her comforting darkness, none of the crew could enjoy a truly restful sleep after the battle at Cairo. They had ventured out of the cloaked craft to admire the Great Pyramids and the cool morning desert, taking sombre note of the smoke that still rose from the distance, although it was noticeably weakened by the efforts of local firemen and volunteers. Ian and Lasse had built a small campfire, and the group sat around the flame and burning branches, talking and murmuring and mumbling into the early hours of dawn.

Then out came Ratchet from the hangar of Ptolemaios II.

Like a primordial sage or oracle, he sat at the head of their diminutive campfire, offering to retell his tales to anyone interested – and they were all fascinated. The space cruiser's crew now huddled amongst each other, hanging on every word that the elderly Autobot vocalized. Even the retiring Feldt was enchanted by the legendary adventures of the Transformers several centuries ago, when they walked the Earth as its superheroes, as its guardians from human and Decepticon villains alike.

Soundwave.

Starscream.

_Megatron_.

And what of Lasse Aeon? He fancied himself a young boy again: the adrenaline-pumping rush of serving as Ptolemaios's gunman was a different kind of excitement to the primal emotions that were aroused whenever a storyteller recounted something that touched the archetypes of the universe: the struggle between good and evil, the triumph of the weak over the strong, the bonds of friendship and the meaninglessness of exterior differences. An inherently congenial man, he had considered the Autobots part of the Ptolemaios crew the moment their commander had won Sumeragi's trust, but now he acknowledged them to be something more – as true friends who could impart rather spiritual narratives to the humans of Celestial Being.

Too bad Cybertronians couldn't share a beer with him.

And what of Mileina? The hyperactive girl's excitement knew no bounds, even after Ratchet had concluded his tale and confessed that he wanted to save the next part of the saga for another day. "Tell us more," she cried insistently, rooted to the bed of sand. She refused to budge. "Dad! Isn't this so totally wicked and cool and awesome? Get him to stay!"

Ian smiled up at Ratchet. "Thanks for all that. It was very enlightening… but entertaining, too. It's been a while since I got to have my cake and eat it, too."

"Not at all," said the Autobot healer. "But perhaps it is time to rest? The dawn is coming."

"Of course, you just leave Mileina to me. Ah, by the way, Ratchet – there was someone I wanted you to meet. I'm glad I didn't forget." Ian rose from the ground and dusted motes of sand off his jeans. "Come with me to the repairs workshop." He began to walk, and Ratchet also lifted himself upright, a waterfall of sand falling from his lime-green body. He turned to follow Ian, much to Mileina's dismay. "Since Bumblebee's been lounging around the hangar all night, I thought I'd bring him along, too," called the middle-aged father.

"And who might this person be?"

"He's a civilian we rescued from the A-Laws. He works with us now."

"That's like us Autobots," observed Ratchet. The door to the bottom level of Ptolemaios slid open, and Ratchet crawled through. They entered the hangar bay as per the usual course and continued on for ten minutes in silence. They walked on for a short while longer, and they eventually cleared the first perimeter of the silent Gundams docked beside one another. "You came to our aid when the A-Laws first attacked us, and now we are allies."

"Trust me," said Ian dryly, "his fighting spirit is nothing like yours."

Yet another large entrance slid open, but only after he had punched in a combination code by the doors' side. Ratchet clucked in admiration at the scattered items that lay around the huge workshop – small vehicles, weaponry of every classification, ammunition, and even spare parts for the Gundams. "Here we are. Pay no attention to the mess – this place is for just that. Now… Saji?" called Ian, looking around. "Where are you? Whatever you're working on, come out and take a break. I want you to meet Ratchet, the Autobot medic… or technician, depending on whose perspective."

A brown-haired youth emerged from under the table, a pile of screwdrivers and power tools in his arms. He wore a simple outfit suited perfectly for a busy engineer and repairman: a t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. He dumped his power tools onto the table and looked up, his friendly eyes wide in marvel. But upon laying eyes on the Transformer, he did not seem stunned into speechlessness like Setsuna was. "I'm Saji. Saji Crossroad," he smiled, wiping his face with a cloth around the back of his neck. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Autobot."

"You don't look surprised," said Ratchet, impressed.

"In many ways, we're similar to each other," said Ian. "We spend our days staring at and building machines of incredible intricacy. Talking and interacting with a sentient one doesn't really… shock us as much as it should." He chuckled. "Even though the Meisters are pilots of the most powerful weapons Earth can offer, their Gundams make poor friends. That's why they were so impressed with you. But Saji and I… we weren't made for the battlefield. I have a family I wish to keep safe and happy. My adorable Mileina, and my lovely Linda… were it not for the sake of ensuring their security, I would have loved to leave Celestial Being and live out my life in a seaside apartment in some agreeable city. But I'd be lying if I said that I wouldn't miss the crew here."

"I can tell you two aren't configured – I mean, suited – for war," agreed Ratchet. "You certainly seem like… civilians thrust into a violent time, an age in which deception and cruelty is inevitable."

Ian adjusted his spectacles. "Indeed. I may be inexperienced in your eyes, but I assure you that I'm not so naïve to think that there has ever been an age in human history in which wrongdoing, war, and despair were absent."

Saji nodded, hiding a sad smile as he turned away and whispered two words, not intending for anyone to hear them. Those two words were inaudible in the same way he had been unable to hear _her_ voice after so long. To his amazement – or perhaps not – his heart burned for her as brightly as it had burned four years ago, when he first accomplished his dream as a worker in space. If only she were here to join him.

_I miss you_…

"Louise Halevy."

*

Sumeragi was once a heavy drinker. She could recall several occasions on which she would bring only bottles of whisky, rum and vodka on board the first Ptolemaios. It was her refuge, her escape from her guilt and self-doubt and inadequacy (Allelujah always argued that such a notion was imagined. The silly boy would never understand). Her abuse of alcohol had become almost life-threatening during her four years with Billy Katagiri and after her return to the Ptolemaios II. Setsuna's encouragement, at that time, had done little to hearten her, to affirm her faith in herself. Her alcoholism had thankfully receded after the reunion of all four Meisters when Allelujah was liberated from the A-Laws confinement facility. Nevertheless, it was extraordinary how new arrivals to the crew – namely the Autobots – could compel her to cut back the frequency of her drinking to almost nil. Was it an effort to save face? No, it wasn't something so superficial. A certain quality about their new team had helped her to come to grips with her ineptitude, her failure to change the world with Schenberg's plans… and her failure to save her onetime lover, Emilio.

But if she were truly honest with herself, she would have acknowledged Optimus Prime to be the one that had reawakened her self-conviction. She had come to know the wisdom, undying courage and gentle compassion embodied in him, and she had drawn from that strength to lead the Meisters the way they deserved.

She and the Autobot leader lingered some distance away from Ian's small campfire. They sat beside each other as they watched the rising sun together, its warm rays leisurely but insistently stretching across the Nile river and its urban banks, reaching out to the desert and towards the ancient Pyramids, soaking the ancient monuments and the cloaked Ptolemaios in its life-giving radiance. They had not spoken for several minutes, content to listen to the voices of their friends in the backdrop. He had closely observed her distress the previous night, her reaction to the atrocious tactics of the Innovators. And almost like a protective father watching over his lonely and upset daughter, he silently swore that those genetically modified humans would never commit such crimes again.

"Leesa," he said, looking down. "Would you like me to lift you to my shoulder, so you can glimpse the full beauty of the Egyptian landscape? It is quite a sight from my viewpoint."

She smiled in good humour. "Only if your shoulder's feeling better," she said softly.

"Yes, it is. Thank you for your concern."

Reassured, she stood up, only to seat herself in his hand again. He held her close and shifted his forearm, and through his fingers she could notice the elevation bringing forth a new dimension to the rising sun and the sandy scenery. He gently placed her beside his head, and she left his palm to stand on his shoulder. Her knees straightened as she shielded her eyes from the initial glare of light. He wasn't lying. It was indeed a better view up on his high perch, except that it felt quite safe, rather cosy, really. She now remembered that she never appreciated the beauty of Earth from outer space as much as she should've. She always did prefer the gravity of the Earthen ground as opposed to floating around in Ptolemaios.

"Optimus?"

"Yes?"

"I must confess… I still know little about you. All you've told me is that you're the leader of your robotic race, and that you have come to Earth before. I also know that you are kind, compassionate, and undaunted by humanity's new technology. But… that's tantamount to knowing nothing." She could not hide the curiosity in her voice. "Tell me, Optimus. _Who_ are you?"

Prime blinked. "I'm not sure if I understand, Leesa."

She shrugged mildly. "What did you _do_ on Cybertron? Were you a civilian or ruler of some sort? How did you come to lead the Autobots? Why did you fight the enemies you fought? And why did you end up in contact with Earth, and come to cherish its people?"

He took a deep breath, drawing out manifold painful memories and reflections from his ancient database. "Many millennia in the primeval past, my brother and I co-ruled Cybertron together. Megatron held the official title of Lord High Protector, whilst I held the rank of Prime – the most recent in the noble lineage of the Prime Dynasty. Megatron commanded the mighty armies and fleets of the Transformers as the martial leader of Cybertron's planetary empire, whilst I served as a scientist and spiritual counsellor to our people." He looked up at the rising sun and the morning star. "As one, we stewarded the All Spark, the legendary artefact that brought life to Cybertron. Our rule was peaceful and just, until Megatron became corrupted by The Fallen, and chose to seize the All Spark for his twisted ambitions."

He lowered his head, and she stared at him. His optical sensors were glimmering as he raised his hand to rub his blue forehead. "The Fallen… was one of the very first Primes: a trans-dimensional being of near-omnipotence. He abandoned his sacred office and murdered his brothers – my ancestors – in a forgotten age at the beginning of the cosmos, leaving me the sole survivor of our glorious dynasty. To my horror, Megatron's betrayal reflected that of The Fallen's. I swore before my surviving people I would bring him to justice. But all this time, I could not forget… that we were once comrades."

"My God," whispered Sumeragi, taken aback by the violence and betrayal surrounding the Autobot leader's history. "I… I'm so sorry."

"Megatron's rebellion took me surprise. I rallied what resistance I could. I sought out my elite warriors and my second-in-command, Jazz, to organize a militia that would give shelter to the robots that fled from my brother's tyranny. For many months, I attempted to reason with him, to remind him of his sacred vocation as co-ruler of Cybertron. And as I look back on the millennia during which we tore at each other's voice boxes, I only wish that my brother and I could have come to understand each other… before we lost each other."

Sumeragi fell silent, unexpectedly spellbound by Prime's recount.

"We did everything in our power to hold back Megatron's onslaught, but it was difficult. His command of the Cybertronian military led to a dangerous imbalance of power when he came to form the reviled, traitorous faction of the Decepticons. As our battles ravaged the planet, we continued to suffer terrible casualties, and my agents Bumblebee and Arcee even suffered torture after they were captured. But it was the civilians… my people… that endured the worst. Our fury and foolishness scorched the stars themselves, and there seemed no end to our idiocy. But Megatron was relentless. And so we fought on, until I decided to thwart Megatron's ambitions at the battle of Tyger Pax." He looked at her, smiling kindly as he felt her shoes pressing on his shoulder. "I made the grave decision to send the All Spark into space, where it would eventually crash into Earth."

Sumeragi could tell that his smile was one of vast sorrow as well as hope. "And that is where your story with humanity begins," she whispered. She pressed her small hands against the side of his face, closing her eyes in empathy at his revelations. She recalled the first time he had addressed her by her real name, and how she had, in her panic and distress, almost shot him. The bitter taste of self-reproach gathered in her mouth. "And to think _I_ suffered from the hurt of the past… I feel so ignorant, so deluded. I'm sorry for being so childish, Optimus. I don't dare to imagine how you pulled through after so much pain…"

The Prime of Cybertron closed his optics, savouring the human woman's caring touch. "Please, don't demean yourself like that. I would never presume to judge you. We all suffer. Yet each of us desires to be happy, to be acknowledged as worthwhile. If nothing else, this is what my long life has taught me. We must recognize each other, and at our core, treasure and value each other."

The brunette nodded shyly, convinced by his gentle, persuasive charisma. "You see that as our profoundest potential, don't you?"

He smiled venerably. "Leesa… from the bottom of my spark, I hope that you and I, as two fellow sentients, can come to understand one another. I believe that is… the dearest happiness we can share together."

*

_Four million years ago. Empire of Cybertron _

_Optimus Prime and Lord High Protector Megatron stood atop the ancient mountain that was a site of pilgrimage for all Cybertronians, a sacred hulk of metal that was formed from the _All Spark_ cube. Below the hill and lining beside the pavements were the metal fields, razor-sharp iron stabbing upwards towards the lazy sky. In the distance, sprawling cities of monolithic towers made by the hands of thousands of gigantic workers spanned the horizon. As the afternoon passed, the two ancient brothers watched the daily activities of the common Cybertronians, observing guards shuffle by the massive avenues, civilians walking and chit-chatting along the boulevard, and smaller drones carrying out their everyday duties for their masters. It was a picturesque scene, the culmination of the brothers' hard work and magisterial rule. _

_Prime hoped that this would last for as long as Cybertron existed._

_Megatron, massive and mighty, shifted restlessly beside his fellow sentinel, who exuded a primeval, mature wisdom. "Look at them," he said quietly, his titanic, chrome-metallic bulk outsizing Prime's slightly. "Our fellow robots. How small they look from up here, like turboants. They know nothing of a grand vision for Cybertron, like you and me. They know nothing of true power, the true will to life."_

"_Power is not the end of all things, brother," replied Prime. "Love is."_

"_And do you love me, brother?" snorted Megatron, looking disdainfully at a nearby metal hill, where the afternoon sun that orbited Cybertron was visible._

"_Yes," said Prime immediately. "You know our Sparks come from the same Source, the same Prime Father. We are the co-rulers of this planet. I am the hand that offers refuge, while you are the fist that dispenses justice. Our people look to your auspices as the ultimate judgement."_

"_If they could judge themselves as weak, and arm themselves with weapons and train themselves in the military arts, they would not need so much coddling."_

"_They are worth protecting. Great and small, they deserve all we can offer."_

"_We will never see eye to eye with each other, Optimus. In the end, no matter who dispenses justice, he must use power to enforce it. There cannot be mere compassion – alone, it cannot bring glory to our galactic empire."_

"_That is the reality," acknowledged Prime. "But is it not alright as it is now? Our mighty planet and our colonies are safe, free, just and bountiful. We can accommodate anyone who needs a new home. We can achieve, in a word, anything."_

_Megatron snorted again. "Perhaps. Perhaps not."_

_For a few minutes, the two colossi fell silent, leaving each other to their own thoughts. _

"_Either way… do not fret, dear brother," said Prime, putting his hand on Megatron's shoulder. He gestured outwards with his other arm, spanning a grand motion across the metallic landscape. "I will stay by your side and we will watch Cybertron prosper and expand even further. All we need is dedication, understanding, and perhaps a dash of luck."_

_Megatron, for once, nodded slowly. "To understand inferior beings, hm…?"_

_The sun was tipping slowly down the horizon when the two brothers made their way down the metal hill to join in the evening celebrations._

*

It was past seven thirty-four when an invigorated and glowing Sumeragi rejoined her crew in the command room. She hadn't felt like a young girl in so long – confident, full of life, and strangely feminine after Prime had bared his spark to her. She blinked upon seeing the four Meisters already present and gathered near her seat. "What's everyone doing here?" she asked. "Mileina? Feldt?"

"Ma'am, we've received an encoded message from agent Wang Liu Mei," said Feldt. "Should I put her through?"

"Yes, please," replied Sumeragi, as she moved to stand beside Setsuna and Lockon. The plasma monitor before them suddenly blackened as the message from the Chinese billionaire was transmitted. A melodious voice filtered through the speakers.

"Good morning, Celestial Being. I've received news that the leaders of the Federation have decided to throw yet another lavish ballroom party for all its major members. The event will take place tonight, at eight p.m. in the evening. It will be followed by a conference on how to deal with Celestial Being at one of Homer Katagiri's mansions in Switzerland. I will personally go on behalf of the Wang family, but this will prove a golden opportunity in seizing valuabe information on the A-Laws's forthcoming movements and operations."

"Another gathering, hm?" said Lockon curiously. "They sure want to convince themselves that they're all in and tight with one another, don't they? Their friendships are positively paranoid."

"I'm participating in this," cut in Tieria, his voice simmering. "Just like last time. I have the most contact with the Innovators. They will know who I am, and they can talk to me freely. But the other lowlifes in the Federation won't have a clue."

"Oi, oi," cautioned Lasse, "but what if the A-Laws do catch on? And think of what happened to Setsuna. That bastard Katagiri got a good long look at his face."

"Then give me a turn and let me take a shot at providing backup," said Lockon, nodding and looking at Sumeragi. "I always wanted to try my hand at being a chauffeur. And Bumblebee's humvee disguise may be able to pose as a security transfer for the function."

Sumeragi nodded in assent, smiling. "I suppose I don't have any reason to oppose this. And with Bumblebee watching over you two, I'll feel more at ease.

"Very well, then. You two will infiltrate the gathering of the Federation and identify the individuals who are behind the A-Laws and the so-called Innovators. Treat this as an above top-secret mission even more so than the ones we've conducted in the past – this time, you're exposing yourselves to the upper echelons of the A-Laws. Even if we are assuming new identities, a single mishap will compromise not only our safety, but the entire infrastructure of Celestial Being." She pursed her lips in thought. "Ptolemaios will depart from Egypt at precisely two o'clock. Notify the Autobots of tonight's mission. We'll begin preparations as soon as Lockon and Tieria purchase new disguises."

Lockon grinned. "Looks like we're suiting up, then…"

"No," said Tieria, turning away. "You can suit up. I'm going to dress up."

*

Wang Liu Mei ended her transmission and turned to the purple-haired man sitting across from her. "This is the second time you've asked me to draw them into your designs," noted the Chinese beauty. "I hope, once again, that this was satisfactory."

"That was excellent," praised Regene Regetta, beaming. He clasped his slender, pale hands together. "That was more than enough."

"Be careful, Regene Regetta. You are playing with fire. And they weren't bad in combat at all," admitted Revive Revival. Garbed in typical, unisex Innovator clothing, he and Bring Stabity stood before Regene and Wang Liu Mei like champions before lieges. "Celestial Being is formidable on their own, but the versatility of their operations has been multiplied with the help of these Autobots."

Regene Regetta smiled. "Don't be so uptight. This was all predicted within Veda's mainframe. I wouldn't be surprised if the Autobot leader possesses at least some fragment of knowledge about the so-called coming dialogues.

"To end conflict amongst mankind so that conflict against other intelligent life will be prevented… it is an extraordinary insight. Humanity as it is presently is nothing more than a bawling babe. Its psyche is so shattered and confused that should it venture beyond this solar system, it wouldn't know how to _live_… only how to resist, how to destroy. But now, we have an unprecedented opportunity – Aoelia Schenberg's plan. Its sole purpose is to present a united and peaceful _homo sapiens_ to advanced species beyond our galaxy. And we Innovators will guide them along that shining voyage, and offer up a worthy human race to the superior Transformers."


	7. Chapter 6: The Light from Space

**Chapter 6: The Light from Space  
**

Lockon Stratos could never stand being mistaken for something he was not – meaning that he could not stand being mistaken for his deceased brother, Neil. Having lived apart from his family for much of his formative years, Lyle yearned to establish a life and identity for himself above anything else. Riches, fame, and glory – it had all remained secondary to his endless search for the man he _was_. Even women… well, perhaps he did fancy himself possessing a connoisseur's taste in the fairer sex. He did not pretend to be picky, but before his rather sterile life as a Gundam Meister, he had often chosen to sleep with women of exquisite beauty – buxom belles with noteworthy characteristics of womanly charm, grace, and comfort. He was not afraid to use the word "sterile" for his time on board the Ptolemaios because it was true. Aside from that kiss he had stolen from Feldt (and it was no kiss of affection; it was a rude reminder for her to realize her fantasy was dead and gone, scattered across the endless reaches of space) and several tasteful remarks about the natural allure of Sumeragi and Linda, it had not been in his power to indulge in any kind of appreciation of the feminine. For an Irish man who appreciated beauty in all its forms, it was akin to living like a songbird with its throat torn out.

And so it pained him beyond belief when he realized that there was no other way to describe Tieria Erde when the latter donned his "disguise."

From a purely objective point of view, he was _stunning_.

After lunch, they had left Ptolemaios for a relatively undamaged sector of Cairo. Their mission was to purchase new attire to wear for the imminent evening operation. Lockon felt rather uncomfortable shopping for formal wear alongside his fellow Meister, and the awkwardness was compounded by the fact that Tieria fearlessly separated from him and strode into the ladies' boutique… _away_ from the menswear store. Lockon, for his part, discreetly stepped inside the latter to buy his tuxedo and get it over with. He remembered the last time he had seen Tieria in a dress. Dispassionately speaking, his curved, high-heeled figure was strikingly feminine. His dark, seductive stockings hugged his slender legs. His countenance and his long hair were… beautiful. Even his fake breasts were deceiving.

Lockon was quite happy to acknowledge that Tieria had achieved an utterly convincing disguise, even if it remained somewhat disturbing.

They had silently made their way back to Ptolemaios after their shopping. The hatch to the main hallway of Ptolemaios opened and they marched in, walking in the direction of a chamber by the corridor's side. It was a conference room, in which battle strategies were encoded onto a large computer and distributed to the Meisters' pagers. Setsuna, Allelujah and Marie stood in the circular interior, glancing at the newcomers as they strode in. Marie blushed as she glanced at Tieria. "That's a very… meticulous disguise, Tieria."

"Good," said Tieria shortly. "I'll fool those lechers of the Federation just as I did once before."

"You're not wearing the dress from that operation," observed Setsuna, noticing that the lusty crimson evening gown Tieria had chosen was brighter than the muted counterpart he wore several weeks ago to infiltrate Ribbons Almark's inner circle.

"I want to give the impression of a more outgoing, passionate woman," replied Tieria matter-of-factly, and Lockon shivered in dread.

"Attention all deck members," sounded Feldt's voice. "We are departing from Egypt and cruising over the skies of the Alps. Setsuna and Allelujah… Ratchet and Ironhide. Please standby to provide backup. Lockon, Tieria, Bumblebee – good luck."

"Bumblebee should be ready anytime, 'ey? I'll give him a buzz," smiled Lockon, raising his pager. "I'm looking forward to working with him. I'm sure you prefer the cool climate of the Netherlands as opposed to the sweltering heat of Egyptian sands."

"Yes," agreed Tieria, his eyes flashing in anticipation at the thought of apprehending the true enemies of world freedom. "Yes, I do."

*

_Night. 20:31 hours_

The mansion compound was, in a word, lavish. It consisted of three levels, two of which were equipped with a grand parlour and ballroom for guests. Exactly fifty-six professional waiters and waitresses had been hired to serve the gourmet cuisine to the visitors, wherever they chose to linger. Along with a conservatory, greenhouse, an infinity pool and a home theatre, the Katagiri estate in the Alps was one to be admired and envied.

Billy Katagiri observed the gathering guests from above the balustrade – each impeccably dressed and attended to be chauffeurs, butlers and handmaids. He adjusted his speckless bowtie and slowly walked down the grand, winding staircase that led to the ballroom. Around him were the world's most influential politicians, nepotic nabobs and magnates, along with their wives and escorts. Businessmen from all over the world had assembled here to give their patronage to officials that sought the destruction of Celestial Being. One of these officials was the Homer Katagiri, supreme commander of the A-Laws, who stood beside a portly, blond man, his sleazy eyes dancing with mirth. The latter was called Arthur Goodman, one of the top-ranking officers within the A-Laws and an important military asset to Katagiri. "Another of these formal functions, Homer? You enjoy throwing these extravagant events just to impress your sponsors, don't you?" he asked good-humouredly.

Homer Katagiri laughed. "It serves two purposes, Arthur. I want you and I to loosen up for at least the first half of this evening. We should mingle and enjoy the company of these fine gentlemen and ladies, before we immerse ourselves in the business of defeating Celestial Being. That will come in the form of a conference, a symposium on cutting-edge military technology and strategy, at ten o'clock tonight. And the head speaker of this colloquium is none other than – " He suddenly gestured towards a surprised Billy. "You're in for a real treat tonight, Arthur. We have both prepared meticulously for this conference. We're sure to make a breakthrough in cracking the strategies of Celestial Being."

"I would say," laughed Goodman. "You two even have the same ponytail."

Billy smiled politely as his uncle barked in amusement. He turned to take a glass of champagne from a waiter, to lubricate his social spontaneity. He blinked in surprise as he caught sight of a tall, plain-looking Russian and a much shorter Spanish blonde with cropped hair. Both were dressed, for once, for pleasure rather than work-related purposes. "Hello there," he called, recognizing them. "You're Federation officer Andrei Smirnov, aren't you?"

"Technical Chief," said Andrei in surprise. "It's good to see you here, sir."

"Please, just Billy will do. And you are… Miss Halevy?"

"Yes. Louise is my given name," said the young woman. Her eyes were beautiful, but whilst Billy was not too experienced with women, he could still sense that a certain lustre inside those aqua-green orbs had died… as if something deeply traumatic had her wounded to the core, severing some manner of connection she once fostered for the world.

He looked at Andrei. "I assume you two are attending the symposium tonight? Your father is coming, too."

Andrei grimaced. "I'm aware of that, sir. The military has always been his foremost concern. I'd even go so far as to say that he's here tonight just for this upcoming convention alone." He silently excused himself and departed to retrieve some victuals from the buffet table.

Billy looked at Louise awkwardly. "Did I say something uncalled for?"

Louise smiled, although it was tinged with bitterness. "No. Don't worry about him." Her eyes changed as she saw two figures on top of the balcony, walking slowly down the stairs to the carpeted ground level. They both possessed shining, bright purple eyes and peculiar green hair. Their external appearances were incredibly young, and some might have mistaken them to be the children of one of the delegates in attendance. However, their youth was not a sign of immaturity, but of agelessness. They were, in fact, the true orchestrators of this entire function, of the Federation infrastructure itself.

Nay… they were the orchestrators of mankind's very salvation.

"Master Almark," said Louise, bowing at the waist. "Good evening."

"How are you, Warrant Officer?" replied the androgynous man, who was clothed in an outfit worn by European nobles of old. "This is my personal aide and confidante, Healing Care. She is a skilled pilot of the Mobile Suit series, just like you." Louise turned to look at a grinning, tomboyish girl who possessed a remarkable semblance to Almark, although her immaturity was reflected in her countenance and the way she held herself. She was dressed almost like a steward to Ribbons, in immaculate snow white, similar to women who disguised themselves as page boys to infiltrate their lovers' forbidden mansions. "Healing Care, this is one of the A-Laws's most promising officers, and a lady whose determination and courage is second to none: Louise Halevy."

The tomboyish Innovator blinked and shot a sideways glance at Louise. "Oh, I see," she snickered. "You're surrounding yourself with beautiful female pilots, aren't you? Ribbons."

Almark smiled indulgently. "Don't flatter yourself, Healing," he replied, enjoying the indignant pout from his Innovator counterpart. "Now… if you'll excuse me, Louise. I wish to speak with Billy Katagiri here, who has contributed immensely to the noble cause of the A-Laws. The Federation has done so much to unite us all, and it is of utmost importance that all enjoy transparency on the issues of this evening's symposium."

Billy nodded and turned to follow Almark, leaving Louise with Healing. Louise was about to curtly excuse herself from the mischievous Innovator's presence when a sweet, womanly voice spoke behind her.

"Hello," said Tieria.

*

"Good evening, Warrant Officer Louise Halevy," smiled a crimson-gowned Tieria, curtseying gracefully and allowing his rich purple hair to flow past his smooth face. He glanced at the shorthaired girl beside the Spanish blonde and suppressed an angry gasp. "Why… Miss Healing Care," he forced out, plastering on an unnatural smile. "Good evening to you, too."

"Ah, I remember you! I shot your hand!" laughed Healing, poking her tongue at the Meister.

Tieria felt a sudden urge to meet that mocking face with his clenched fist, but he desisted. The hall was still packed with guests, dignitaries and emissaries. It would be foolish to make a move against Healing now. Worse yet, Healing had blurted about their hostile interaction several weeks ago in the presence of Louise, whose eyes shone with understandable suspicion. Ensuring that Healing could not expose his attempt to shoot Ribbons Almark, Tieria quickly took her by the hand and strode away, eliciting a mischievous purr from the Innovator and a shocked stare from Louise. "Wait – " called the latter, but Tieria ignored her.

"Why are you here?" snarled Tieria quietly, as he led Healing through the crowds of older men and women. He clutched her hand roughly and painfully, a complete contrast to his graceful, seductive stride. They were beginning to attract curious and charmed glances from the older couples and women, but Tieria ignored them. "Why have the A-Laws organized another meeting? What do they have planned next?"

"Will you let me answer, or do you just like asking questions?" sniffed Healing. She struggled to break free, but Tieria's hold was unrelenting. He nearly collided with a passing couple in his haste to exit the open manor doors, and when he finally managed to walk out to the gardens just past the mansion's roundabout, he glimpsed a yellow humvee escorting a private limousine past the ornate fountain. The latter's chauffeur – an immaculately uniformed Lockon – winked at him from inside the driver's window, and Tieria nodded in acknowledgement. He continued to pace deeper past the trees and hedges until the lights of the stretch limos were imperceptible and the voices of their passengers inaudible. Once those criteria were fulfilled, he stopped and released Healing. "I'm dizzy. You didn't have to be so rushed!" she cried, rubbing her sore wrist.

"You will answer everything I ask you," stated Tieria quietly. "Why is there another gathering of A-Laws officials? What do the Innovators want now?"

"World peace," she said in a singsong voice. "But seriously. Do you expect a girl to give you what you want when you treat her so rudely?"

"Don't play games," countered Tieria. "Unless you want me to point my gun at you instead of Ribbons."

"Oh? You're a bit of a sore loser, aren't you? After what happened last time," sniffed Healing. "And I wonder if causing a rabble here is really going to help you…"

Tieria gritted his teeth, but blinked in surprise when she shrugged and raised her hands in surrender. "Well, how about this – I'll give you a clue – and it's a pretty damn obvious one too. You'd better listen up, because I won't repeat myself."

Tieria's hand slowly slid to the pistol strapped to his thigh underneath his gown. "What is it?" he prompted firmly. "Give me a straight answer, and I might not see the need to kill you where you stand."

Healing smiled unnervingly, and to his bewilderment and frustration, she whispered only four words that, at that time, offered no meaning to him. They were uncharacteristic of an immature youth like herself, and it had seemed… almost forced.

But it would make no difference. Not in the least.

"_Be mindful of death_."

*

"It is ready, Master Almark," came the transmission.

Standing by the window of the Dutch mansion, Almark turned, adjusting his dignified collar. "Excellent. Send a message to Revive Revival, Bring Stabity and Devine Nova. Notify Ali al-Saachez as well. We shall activate the Memento Mori immediately."

"Understood. Central command out."

He returned to his meditations, gazing outside the tall window and out into the courtyard by which couples danced and conversed the night away. "Memento Mori – the most powerful orbital particle weapon yet, and the final solution against the rebel states," he said, smiling. "It is the guarantor of world reunification. To test its capabilities and wipe out the Suille Kingdom at the same time… it is like killing two birds with one stone."

He glanced at an ebony-haired beauty in a graceful red dress across from the chamber. "Wang Liu Mei, I thank you for your generous contributions. With this, the last governmental resistance to the Federation will collapse. All that will be left is Celestial Being… and myself, of course. Only we shall remain to contend for the humankind's future. With whom you place your faith in is now entirely up to you."

The Chinese woman smiled. "I support any who promise to create a new age, a dazzling future for us. I look forward very much to seeing how you will use this new superweapon."

He closed his eyes._ No. It is not merely Celestial Being and I. There remain the Autobots, those self-appointed guides to galactic harmony… and the hidden, unpredictable Decepticon threat. When will they invade Earth with their invincible army? When? When will it be the Innovators' time to crush those so-called superior robots, those beings that derisively referred to flesh-bound sentients as "fleshlings?" _

_Well… I'll simply have to vaporize them along with Katharon and Celestial Being_.

*

From outer space, a colossal orbital space station's hatch slowly slid open. An oversized needle emerged from the inverted abyss and passed through three disc-shaped shields of tektite glass, protruding just beyond the smallest member and stopping. "Prepare the first shot," came a stern voice. "On behalf of Master Almark and his noble vision, activate the cannon now!"

"Yes, sir. Coordinates?"

"Aim directly for the Suille Kingdom, those lowlifes that resist assimilation and harbour Katharon forces. Do not hold back. Let everything that's caught in this weapon's path be reduced to dust."

"Copy that."

The instrument of indiscriminate destruction, installed onto the lower ring of the solar satellite that brought humanity hope, began to gather its infernal energy. An endless wellspring of solar energy from the African Orbital Elevator poured into its output fissures. The furnaces roared with a mighty fury as the rings surrounding the needle also began to glow.

"Ten seconds to particle gathering limit. Nine… eight… seven…"

The light from the nuclear fission became one with the cannon. A distinct, horrifying scream echoed from the channels of the station, and the shields began to tremble, rising in heat astronomically as a four-hundred-foot orb of solar-nuclear power gathered. Within seconds, it would transmute into a shaft of power, a beam capable of destroying an entire nation.

"Six… five… four…"

Judgement was about to descend upon the enemies of the Innovators.

And the verdict was: _extinction_.

"Three… two… one. _Fire_!"


	8. Chapter 7: Operation Lifebringer

**Chapter 7: Operation Lifebringer**

_Thirty thousand feet above the Alps, Ptolemaios II docking bay_

His straight back against the steel wall, Optimus Prime sat in tranquil meditation, beside the silent 00 Gundam that loomed above him. Its craftsmanship was perfect, having been constructed with the sole purpose of reigning as heir to Aeolia Schenberg's vision. The Autobot leader had opened his optics and was admiring the powerful sword to its side when he heard tiny footsteps. He looked to his right and scanned Setsuna's heat waves. The Meister had descended into the bay to visit him. "_Salaam 'Alaykum_, Soran Ibrahim," he said, his voice a gentle sigh.

"_Wa 'Alaykum As-Salaam_, Optimus. I would like to ask you a question," stated Setsuna, his intonation subdued but his dark brown eyes full of intensity.

"Fire away."

Setsuna stared straight into Prime's bright blue optical sensors. "If you were able to remember everything by assimilating the World Wide Web and Ptolemaios's database, then it wouldn't be beyond you and the other Transformers to connect with Veda. Am I right?"

Silence.

"I'm not accusing you of anything, and Tieria harbours no suspicion against you," prompted Setsuna. "But Earth's most powerful supercomputer is now in the hands of the Innovators, and they are also capable of interfacing with Veda. The question on everybody's minds is how we should take it back from them. But… what do you intend to do with it, Optimus?"

"Forgive me, Soran," responded Prime humbly. "I only wish… to learn the entirety of Earth's history and heritage since we departed from Earth. Veda is of yet an unknown quantity to me. But from what I've learned during my short time here, I must help protect further tampering of Aeolia Schenberg's plans by the Innovators. And should Celestial Being allow us to learn from Veda, then we will be all too willing to assimilate it."

"There's nothing to forgive, Optimus," said Setsuna quietly. "Nothing at all."

The Autobot leader nodded. "I believe you have a special destiny, Soran, one that will surpass all humans and Innovators. I am certain that the culmination of Aeolia Schenberg's vision shall be realized in individuals such as yourself."

Setsuna blinked. "Special destiny?" He looked away, his eyes clouding over. "I don't believe in providence or anything of that sort. I abandoned the beliefs of my homeland a long time ago. Divine guidance, the prophets... God. I'm afraid I avoid such sentiments, Optimus."

"I do not believe in the Deity of your world, either. I am, after all, from another planet." The Autobot commander smiled knowingly and empathetically behind his faceplate. "Quantum brainwaves… Veda… GN Drives. This Aeolia Schenberg was a true genius to entrust Celestial Being with such pivotal information. It's all in preparation for dialogue with us, the heralds of Cybertronian technology. But for mankind to live a full future, they cannot _become_ machine. They must _commune_ with it."

Suddenly, the side of his blue helm buzzed. He pressed the side of his head with two fingers, blinking as the crackling grew louder. His optics flashed in amazement.

"A fellow Autobot is attempting to make contact with me, Soran," he whispered, looking down at Setsuna. "At last… we have reinforcements."

"A fellow Autobot?" asked Setsuna, caught by surprise as well. "Then there were Transformers that survived the hunt of the A-Laws."

"Yes. I am hoping against hope that they did…" He closed his optics and began to speak in Cybertronian, a primeval, hieroglyphic language of a sacred quality communicated through robotic frequencies. "_Who is this? Are you alright_?"

A loud, geriatric voice coughed through the transmitter. "_This is Jetfire – Decepticon-turned Autobot, at your service. You haven't gotten rid of this geezer yet, Optimus_."

"_Jetfire_," breathed Prime in relief. "_Excellent. You're alive. How are you faring? Earth is almost unrecognizable, is it not_?"

"_You're telling me, mate. We lost each other, didn't we? And I've been on the run – or should I say flight – from these massive robots since I crashlanded. They couldn't be Decepticons, could they? Since when were they twice our size_?"

"_They are not robots, Jetfire. They are weapons created by the humans. But they do not possess a will of their own. Human pilots control them now. They are called Mobile Suits. You must be quite disorientated – hurry to us_."

"_I've scanned myself a military jet, and I'm flying towards the Kingdom of Suille. I overheard over the frequencies that some military body called Katharon is resisting the so-called A-Laws there. I suppose you should know something about all that. What are your coordinates_?"

Prime paused. "_I admit it's something of a long story. We're on the deck of a vast spacecraft called the Ptolemaios. We're with a team of humans called Celestial Being, humans who defend against those Mobile Suits that were pursuing you_."

"_Wonderful. Consider me sympathetic to their cause already – wait_." Jetfire's old, cranky voice suddenly hushed. "_Something's coming from the sky… and it doesn't look friendly_."

Prime felt his concern returning. "_Don't disconnect. Tell me everything that's happening at your end. What is it, exactly_?"

"_It's… not a robot, I can tell you that_." Jetfire's intonation gradually grew louder in alarm as a deafening scream crackled through Prime's inbuilt comlink. The Autobot leader suddenly clutched at his head, recoiling in pain from the sonic output, and Setsuna stepped forward, unsure of how to help. "_It's… it's a beam of light, Optimus! A beam of light's shooting from the clouds_!"

"A beam of light?" whispered Setsuna, his fists clenching at Prime's moan of pain.

"_It's… shooting towards the city_!" barked Jetfire through the comlink, as a funnelling roar drowned out his voice. "_I'm halting my flight. I can see the pillar colliding with the city over there_…" A panicked cry came from the isolated Autobot, and a deafening, indiscernible explosion rung through Prime's throbbing helm. "_What in the Allspark is going on_?"

A distant crackle was all that could be heard.

"_Jetfire! Are you alright, old friend_?" cried Prime. "_Talk to me_!"

"What's going on?" asked Setsuna, his eyes concerned.

Jetfire's subdued voice suddenly returned, but the elderly Autobot no longer sounded confident at all. "_The light… it's blinding. What… do they think they're doing_?"

Several overwrought minutes passed before the roar slowly faded from the comlink.

Prime spoke again, this time very quietly. "_Jetfire? I must know. Report in_."

"_Optimus… I can't see anything. Everything's gone, kid. Moments ago I saw a human settlement. Now, I can't even see rubble – the whole place… it's all reduced to dust_."

Setsuna could not believe it, and for several moments, he was not sure if this Jetfire character was lying. "An entire country… gone?" he asked dazedly. "But what weapon could have caused such – "

"Jetfire… can you tell me what might have caused that shaft of power to smash into the vicinity?" asked Prime.

"_No. I can only guess that it was some orbital weapon of some sort. I'm sorry, kid, but I'm getting out of here. I think… they just destroyed the Kingdom of Suille. I'm going to trace your coordinates. I'll be inbound to your location soon enough… I'm not about to get obliterated by whatever that was up there_."

"_Be careful, Jetfire_."

"_Jetfire out_."

And with that salutation, the transmission cut off.

Prime sighed in horror as he slumped back, rubbing his nose to soothe the throbbing in his head. "Impossible," he whispered in devastation. "The A-Laws… it must be them. It can't be anyone else." He looked down sharply at the Gundam Meister. "We must report this to Leesa at once. The Kingdom of Suille…!" He let out a low rumble. "How dare they do this to their own kin! We have no time, Soran. We must sortie. Now is the time for Celestial Being, Katharon, and we Autobots to act."

Setsuna nodded, trembling slightly. "Agreed."

Prime quickly changed his transmission recipient to Sumeragi. "Leesa, I have something to report. A grave catastrophe has come to light, and must be dealt with at once…" He looked at Setsuna one more time, and it was then that the latter felt an almost psychic connection established between them. It was as if machine and man had become privy to at least a portion of each other's secrets… and its nature was one of intimate partaking, not intrusive infringement.

"We will stand together until we both fall. For there is only one way to defeat these criminals, and that is to fight as one."

*

Nothing was left. The earth lay bare, charred and scorched in the wake of the nuclear, solar-fission attack. Its denizens had been reduced to a collective, invisible silence, forever blotted from the memories of the Middle East. No longer did the humans dwell here. An all-pervading calm pervaded the region; the sizzling smoke had long since disappeared, almost moments after the pure, utterly clean blast had torn apart the earth and ruptured civilization from the ground.

Eyes burnt out. Dry husks of human shells, left out to dry like jerky. There lacked even minute traces of blood. It had all dried up, evaporated. The currency of human life had fled in the face of death and its memories, its mindfulness… the memories of death, and the memories that human life was infinitely frail, precious… an important commodity.

A cheap article of trade.

A thousand times more destructive than the ancient atomic bomb once unleashed against Japan, the Innovators now had reached a higher level of warfare. They had transcended destruction itself, for not even rubble remained. Not even a worm. Not even a wailing, bawling infant that may have been saved by the charred corpse of its dead mother.

Even then, they had been reduced to funeral-black ashes.

All that remained… was silence.

The Middle East's Katharon division had been wiped out, along with their host, the onetime Kingdom of Suille.

*

"_Be mindful of death_."

"What is that supposed to mean? Don't play games with me," snarled Tieria. "I've just about lost patience with you, Innovator."

"Don't say that like it's a bad thing," said Healing Care scornfully. She placed her hands on her hips haughtily. "You're one of us, remember? You can't deny who you are. You can't deny your genetic makeup! That's right. Why don't you just take off that ridiculous makeup of yours and join us? I don't even know why I'm trying to convince you. You don't deserve Ribbons!"

Tieria's transceiver suddenly beeped to life. "Tieria! Rendezvous with Lockon and Bumblebee ASAP!" came Feldt's distressed voice. "The A-Laws… they've used a new weapon against the Kingdom of Suille in one shot. We know its name is Memento Mori and we've pinpointed its coordinates – it's in space, drawing its power from the African Orbital Elevator. We're leaving Earth and destroying it before it can fire another shot. If we don't… at this rate, other nations will…!"

"Memento Mori…" whispered Tieria, his eyes widening. _Be mindful of death_? "No… this couldn't be," he murmured. His hand tightened on the pistol strapped to his thigh as he saw red. "What have you done?" he gritted, glaring hatefully at Healing. "So this is the Innovators' new instrument of holocaust? You're telling me everything about it, now."

She smiled as she suddenly whipped out her own handgun and aimed it at his head. "Take it up to Ribbons." She pressed the trigger, and a loud gunshot rang through the night.

"Tieria!" came Feldt's anxious voice. "Tieria! Are you alright?"

"Yes. I'm alright," muttered Tieria, watching Healing fall to the ground, clutching at her ribs and moaning in agony. Behind the fallen Innovator was Lockon, who had calmly fired a bullet into her from behind. She swore and spat into the grass as he reloaded and kept his pistol pointed at her.

"Next time you try something smartarse like that, make sure you've got backup, silly girl," he chastised, enjoying the glare she shot at him.

"Tieria, you and Lockon must hurry back!"

"Roger. We'll be returning to Ptolemaios now. Bumblebee should be nearby. He'll drive us to Cherudim, and we'll take off for space from there. Tieria out." He cut off Feldts transmission and stared into Lockon's sombre eyes.

"I received Mileina's message," said Lockon grimly. "These bastards don't hold back, do they? And they've made the first move too, to catch us off-balance."

"Those Innovators will pay," said Tieria quietly, his eyes narrowing. "Bumblebee's parked nearby, yes?"

"We're ready anytime," said Lockon. "We'd better fly off with Cherudim before security is out in force. Ptolemaios is exactly thirty thousand feet above us – luckily, it won't take us too long to slip away unnoticed."

"Yes, but still, someone must have heard your gunshot. Let's hurry. I don't want to take chances." Tieria turned on his high heel and glanced at the moaning Healing scornfully. "I'm going to fight," he declared to her. "I'm going to destroy your new weapon and crush to dust all your power with my own hands."

"Oh, get lost," snapped Healing, spitting out a gob of blood. "You can't do squat."

Tieria raised his hand, his glimmering red eyes gazing at his palm. "Just watch me."

_You've gone too far this time, Innovators. This time, I won't hold back one mote. I will bring about your defeat with nothing but my own hands if I have to_.

*

Billy stood in silence before the panicking officials, generals, dignitaries, and advisors. He'd lost his uncle and Goodman a while ago. All around him were pitiful cries for help and backup. They swamped the bottom floor of the mansion, all sense of good manners and decorum forgotten. "I heard gunshots! It was inside the gardens!" screamed a young golddigger, searching for her husband, who had fled.

"What are we paying security for?!" barked a middle-aged businessman, clutching his crying escort tightly. "Get us out of here!"

"Evacuating us is the top priority!" snapped another politician. "Get me my helicopter! Now!"

Surrounded by pandemonium, Billy gritted his teeth as he stared up at the chandelier. _Celestial Being… you will attempt a strike on Memento Mori, won't you_? he thought. _You're moving quicker than we expected. Now it seems the conference will have to be cancelled because of you_.

_Leesa… why have you chosen to walk with Celestial Being? _

_No. I now can only know you as Sumeragi Lee Noriega. I can no longer see you as the woman I love, but as an agent of that accursed organization. _

_Go ahead with your mindless struggle. I'll show you what kind of authority the world truly needs_.

"Warrant Officer," cried Andrei suddenly, passing by a surprised Billy as he ran towards the door, to where the screaming guests were pushing and shoving at. "You remember our emergency orders, don't you?"

"Of course I do," snapped Louise. She itched to replace her dainty, girlish getup with that of her A-Laws uniform. She pushed by several confused old men roughly, her hands yearning for the controls of her Mobile Suit. "Let's go."

*

How could this have been?

"Unbelievable!" roared Klaus, slamming a furious fist onto the table. "What in damnation do they think they're doing, wiping out an entire country off the map like that?!" He glanced at Shirin, who also looked livid. They faced the Gundam Meisters, hungry for swift and uncompromising justice. "And they're going to unleash that thing on Katharon. We have to stop those A-Laws before they turn Earth into Hell!"

"We must destroy that weapon," said Sumeragi calmly. She leaned back against the backrest on her seat, surprisingly in control of the situation. Feldt and Mileina looked at their strategist fearfully. "Thanks to the information from this Jetfire, we have the location of the enemy space station pinpointed. Everybody, ready your spacesuits. We're going to mount a full-scale assault on the A-Laws's new superweapon before it can do anymore damage. Celestial Being will launch an all-out attack against the Memento Mori with all four Gundams with Trans-Am activated."

"Trans-Am?" came Prime's curious voice through the speakers.

"Trans-Am is a GN Drive system feature that maximizes GN particle output. At its most basic, solar furnaces have a preset limited rate in particle generation, and Trans-Am is the full utilization of their potential. Trans-Am gives Mobile Suits three times its normal strength, speed and firepower. But once the GN particles are depleted, the Gundams' overall performance is reduced and left temporarily vulnerable until its GN particles are recharged," offered Feldt. "We will activate this ability the moment the Memento Mori appears on our radar."

"Very good," echoed Prime's reply. "Then how may we be of service to you?"

"First, hang on tight," was all Feldt advised, tapping the coordinates hurriedly. "We can't tell when that cannon will recharge. But I assume you don't want to revert to your Protoforms just to attack Memento Mori?"

"Then we'll act as your reserve troops," offered Ratchet. "I have full faith in the Meisters, but should you require a more… personal invasion into that superweapon, we can help you tear it apart from the inside."

"That sounds like a good plan," said Klaus. "And I assume the Meisters will take out the defences surrounding the orbital stronghold?"

"That's right," confirmed Feldt.

"Then I'll contact the space division of Katharon. We might not be able to contribute much, but at the very least we can provide some backup and distraction to ensure the destruction of that crime against humanity."

Sumeragi turned to face the helm of the spacecraft, smiling at Feldt and Mileina. "Optimus?"

His voice was solemn but proud. "On your command, Leesa."

She steeled herself. "All Meisters, standby your Gundams and prepare to sortie. Our destination is space, and our objective is the total destruction of Memento Mori!"

"All systems are go!" cried Mileina. "We're ready for prolonged engagement above Earth's atmosphere."

"The Autobots have all given the go-ahead, Ma'am Sumeragi. They're on standby until we break past Memento Mori's protectors."

"Let's do this," declared Lasse. "Let's end that monster before it kills anyone else."

Despite herself, Sumeragi felt her adrenaline surging. Katharon, the Ptolemaios crew, the Autobots, the Meisters, Setsuna… Optimus. They had all thrown their weight behind her, for the survival of human dignity now lay in her hands. Provided that they continued to support her, "failure" would continue to remain an unknown word in her tactician's jargon.

_Thank you all_.

"Then prepare Ptolemaios for planetary launch. Our mission, Operation Lifebringer, begins now!"


	9. Chapter 8: Where Death is No More

A/N: Hello again. The saga of a new world envisaged in Gundam 00 and its dialogue with the Transformers continues in Chapter 8. I forgot to mention that the initial plan of this fanfic is to consist of 25 chapters exactly, in tribute to the number of episodes in Season 1 and 2 of Gundam 00. So if one treats this as an alternative season for 00, each individual chapter is akin to an episode. But if my current plans continue as they are now (I'm not going to reveal exactly what) I may extend the galactic scope of this crossover into several more chapters. But I like to keep options open - and your ideas, suggestions and feedback are always appreciated. Hopefully the plans I have for this story have so far been on the right track.

**Chapter 8: Where Death is No More**

_The Alps_

Seated comfortably in her GNX-704T/SP Ahead Smultron, Louise stared straight ahead as she steered her Mobile Suit out of the underground bunker only a kilometre away from the Katagiri mansion. The onetime Mobile Suit of the deceased Soma Peries, its GN Thruster whirred into action, sending Louise hurtling up into the magnetosphere and beyond the mountain range. Her mind was almost completely blank, until the window of her cockpit suddenly displayed the smiling face of Ribbons Almark.

She looked down in surprise as he began to speak kindly. "Louise Halevy. I see you as one of my most capable troops, a fellow pioneer that will change mankind and steer our inferior brethren to the stars beyond this solar system. I'm broadcasting this information to you so that you will realize how high the current stakes really are. This day we have attained the power that we so deserve – the Memento Mori is officially successful and operational. Unfortunately, there is a large Katharon fleet approaching the orbital station and the latter will require a relentless defence. I have no doubt that Celestial Being will support them. This will be a golden opportunity to crush them both, once and for all. I entrust your care to the Innovators that will be defending Memento Mori. Bring Stabity and Revive Revival will be standing by until the enemy arrives and the cannon is ready to fire again."

"Understood," said Louise, as her Ahead's display screen reflected the infinite darkness of space and the glimmer of the stars around her. She looked down briefly at the satellites that surrounded the entire planet, enmeshed in white and blue with plates of lush green and beautiful yellow. "And what of their new ally… the robots that the news reported some time ago?"

"Ah, yes, you must have heard of them by now, haven't you? Celestial Being's peculiar new allies are autonomous robotic aliens, led by a particularly powerful sentinel called Optimus Prime. Along with Celestial Being, these so-called Autobots have managed to defeat the A-Laws twice, and repulsed Revive and Bring's attack on Cairo. They are playing undoubtedly indispensable roles in the coming dialogues, but unfortunately, their alliance with Celestial Being means that they also have designs against the Federation. Destroy them, along with the monsters that murdered your family."

Louise felt hatred rising within her, and Almark could sense it. Why else would he look so pleased? "Then all I need to do is support their defence. If I can take out the Gundam Meisters, then it's mission accomplished. That's easy enough," she confirmed shortly, almost dismissively.

He closed his eyes and shook his head slowly, as if indulging a petulant child. Louise fell silent, unsure of what to say. "No. _They_ are on board that ship, lass. Do not underestimate Setsuna F. Seiei and Sumeragi Lee Noriega."

"Set… Setsuna," gasped Louise, blinking in momentary shock. "Celestial Being," she whispered, her breath lowering into an almost guttural growl of bitterness and umbrage. "That's right. At that party… he tried to trick me. He tricked me again, just like he tricked me four years ago into believing…"

_He tricked me… into believing that he and Saji were normal, decent men_!

"Louise, please," said Almark, smiling sympathetically at her. "I gave you this upgraded Ahead for the pleasure of your vengeance, but you must remember that Sumeragi Lee Noriega is one of the most formidable tactical adversaries the A-Laws have encountered. While her name may not be famous, her unmistakable strategic presence is enough for soldiers to curse her in battle. Judging from what Revive and Bring have told me, I believe that Optimus Prime recognizes her as his equal, his human counterpart of sorts."

The Smultron was already approaching the higher level of the African Orbital Elevator. In the immediate distance amassed a fleet of cloaked A-Laws vessels and smaller spacecraft, surrounding the huge station of Memento Mori in a protective ring. "And then you must beware of the boy called Setsuna F. Seiei, a Kurdish youth that you rightly despise. He is not to be taken lightly. His Gundam, the 00, possesses the Twin Drive system of two genuine solar furnaces, making his Mobile Suit, by definition, your superior. As hard as that is to bear for the both of us, let us not be arrogant, lest we fall into the same trap as our enemies. While we have a contingency plan in place, I must insist that you do not cross beam sabres with him without Revive and Bring's support. Seize his GN Drives and bring them to me. And then, show him his folly for daring to attack our masterpiece.

"Setsuna and Sumeragi are terribly inexperienced and imperfect, but on that account, I have chosen to see them as my archenemies, on the same level as Optimus Prime. Therefore, do not ease your vigilance. Let us deal with the Katharon forces first. Only afterwards will we seize the true prize: Celestial Being. Good luck, Louise." With those words, Ribbons Almark ended the transmission, and Louise was left alone to her maelstrom of thoughts as she glimpsed two Mobile Suits on her radar. It was none other than Revive and Bring.

She was surprised she didn't need her pills. Given everything Almark had told her, she thought she would've wanted to pop in at least one or two. She glared at the glimmering stars that smiled down towards Earth, her hands tightening on her control levers.

"I won't let you escape, Celestial Being. You will answer for your crimes, not by Memento Mori… but by my own hand."

*

"We've cleared Earth. We're heading straight for their superweapon." Lasse stared into his screen, his heart pounding in primal excitement as the clouds and blue sky disappeared and opened up into the endless expanse of the solar system. Stars glimmered before him. Already the satellites, warships and Orbital Elevator were visible from his display. "The Katharon forces are straight up ahead. Tell Lockon that we can initiate the counterattack," he said, looking at the amassed forces that had assembled for a last stand against Memento Mori.

"Copy that. I'm connecting to the main Katharon mothership," said Feldt, punching in the coordinates of Memento Mori to send to the commander of the allied fleet. "Ma'am Sumeragi, everyone is in position."

"Klaus," called Sumeragi. "Are you ready?" She and her entire crew had donned their spacesuits, and they braced themselves as the Ptolemaios came into full view of four large Katharon spacecrafts. Several dozen Realdo Mobile Suits were positioned in front of the ships, preparing to mount a desperate, almost suicidal charge against the heavily fortified space station. Katharon's technology was hopelessly outdated and could not hope to withstand the cutting-edge advancement of the Federation-funded A-Laws. Even the actual Mobile Suits looked rather worn down, and several even suffered from rusting. But Sumeragi did not intend for Katharon to bear the brunt of the enemy assault. That task would be left to the Gundams. "Klaus, direct all your forces to defend. I'm sending out our Meisters. Hopefully, time is on our side."

"I've got it covered, Sumeragi."

She spread out a hand. "The four of you, prepare to sortie!" she commanded. "You are to aid Katharon in breaking through to Memento Mori. Give it your best!"

"00 Gundam, Setsuna F. Seiei. Launching!"

"Cherudim Gundam, Lockon Stratos – aim and fire!"

"Arios Gundam, Allelujah Haptism. Heading out!"

"Seravee Gundam, Tieria Erde. Let's go."

But that was not all.

Celestial Being's secret weapon, one developed by Linda Vashti, was on the move. And it was in the hands of a civilian, a civilian who was still unsure of his place in the vast, lonely cosmos.

"_0 Raiser_, Saji Crossroad… launching!" cried the nervous Japanese-American, as the strangely-shaped Mobile Armour hurtled through its enclosed landing strip, bursting out of Ptolemaios and joining 00 in its charted flight towards the massive A-Laws fleet. The enemy had already begun its bombardment against the Katharon assault force, and explosions rocked the darkness of space as Realdo after Realdo exploded from the vicious firepower of the charging Aheads. The latter's lances plunged into the cockpits of the Katharon pilots, and the bloodcurdling screams were almost as loud as the nameless explosions that consigned them to history.

Almost.

"We don't have much time," said Setsuna urgently. "Saji! Dock with me."

"Got it!" Saji steered the blue and white 0 Raiser's binders towards 00 Gundam's Twin GN Drive shoulder attachments as the main body swept towards its rear. With a smooth lock, 0 Raiser shifted into position against the plates of the Gundam, and as jade light coursed throughout the Mobile Suit from the GN Condenser, the 0 Raiser entered its final transition: to serve as the final step towards 00's perfection as a Twin Drive-powered Gundam. "_00 Raiser_ – let's do this," said Setsuna quietly, as multiple circles of particles began to diffuse behind the combined crafts. 00 Raiser tore through the black emptiness and towards the brilliant, dazzling explosions alongside Cherudim, Arios and Seravee.

But Setsuna and Saji's momentary hopes were dashed when a massive beam shot towards the already beleaguered Katharon fleet, consuming them in a hungry, horizontal fire. "What?!" cried Saji. "It can't be… coming from Memento Mori, could it?"

"Didn't they just fire that thing less than an hour ago?!" barked Lockon. "Damn it!"

Setsuna's eyes widened. _Impossible_.

A massive explosion akin to a supernova rocked the nearby satellites and the Orbital Elevator itself. A crackling voice from the commander of Katharon's space fleet was garbled and dying. "Help – Klaus! Celestial Being – they're overwhelming us… we can't hold out against this weapon anymore – " Those words replaced by a helpless scream as the main mothership of the desperate Katharon fleet detonated from the sheer power of Memento Mori's counterattack, along with two other vessels and thirty Realdos caught in the fire. Within moments, the convoy was reduced to one damaged ship and twenty or so Realdos, cowering in the face of the approaching A-Laws defence force.

"We're – we're hit, badly! We need reinforcements!"

Klaus's transmission from the Ptolemaios was startled and furious. "How can this be?! So they can fire their weapon into space, as well?!"

"And those Innovators… they're approaching us at high speed!" cried Allelujah. Gadessa and Garazzo were soaring speedily towards the Ptolemaios, and the latter positioned its cannon at the approaching Mobile Suits. "Ma'am Sumeragi! We need to do something, quickly!"

"Autobots, initiate Contingency Plan B," said Sumeragi calmly. "We're going to fly straight into the crossfire and towards Memento Mori! All Gundams, provide support!" The four Mobile Suits rose in response and met the relentless fire from the A-Laws and Innovators with equal determination. Tieria activated his Buster Cannon whilst Lockon deployed his GN Sniper. Arios quickly transformed into a colossal fighter jet and shot towards the A-Laws fleet, picking off Aheads one by one as the Ptolemaios initiated its own barrage of missiles against the armada that blocked their flight path. More explosions rocked the starry eddy as the massive blasts from Seravee quickly dispatched five, ten, twenty A-Laws units, before smashing into a ship, tearing a chunk of metal from its hull.

"_Double Bazooka Burst Mode_!" roared Tieria, inputting the commands for his Gundam's penultimate attack. Servavee shifted and brought down its appendages of heavy armaments. An unbelievably powerful blast vomited from its combined cannon, and without warning, punched passed Garazzo and Gadessa, hurling them in opposite directions. Revive and Bring's cries of shock were drowned out by a titanic explosion behind them as an A-Laws ship exploded, consuming several more battlecruisers and Aheads in purple smoke and white-hot flames.

The A-Laws armada had been temporarily crippled. Whilst Mobile units still surged forth from the remaining ships, their formations were scattered, disorderly. Better yet, they were being shot down one by one, first with Lockon's expert precision, and Allelujah's mastery of Arios's agility and manoeuvrability. "Go, Ptolemaios!" cried Tieria. "Fly through, now!"

"I don't think so," snarled Revive, displaying a rare burst of anger. Gadessa aimed and fired a potent shaft of power from its cannon, cutting through two more Realdos and shooting for Seravee. Tieria activated his GN Shield, but Revive's attack still managed to stab through, and Seravee was hurled back as the GN Field was punctured and dissipated. Tieria gritted his teeth as his display flashed a warning. The Gundam's leg had been damaged, and Gadessa was advancing.

"Setsuna?" he called coldly, as he glared at the approaching Garazzo. "I think you know what we must do. Let's push them back."

Setsuna nodded in agreement. "It's fully charged, and yours must be too. We'll destroy the defenders completely and help Ptolemaios bring an end to this!"

Lockon closed his eyes and smiled. He looked down at his gauge beside Haro. "It's about time we showed those Innovators what we're can really do."

Allelujah nodded solemnly. "I'm ready."

Setsuna's eyes burned as he stared at Gadessa and Garazzo. _With Gundam… and with the Autobots… we'll fight together… we'll stand together… and we'll change everything_! He roared as the GN output from 00 Raiser suddenly gathered and doubled, before tripling in intensity. It spread its arms, allowing a crimson-tinted power to course through its circuits. Two massive rings of incandescent particles burst and emanated from the back of 00, representing its name but also of so much more. It possessed a cosmic significance, an eternal symbol that sang of God's eternal glory and power in an age where revelation had long lost its meaning.

_00_… a new advent.

_00_… the destiny of man.

Somewhere in time, the minds of Setsuna and Optimus Prime connected, and the former felt the two worlds uniting as one within him. Like a deity emerging from the crashing sea, the Autobot leader raised his head slowly; his gentle, faceplated countenance imprinted firmly into Setsuna's mind, and the latter's consciousness was suddenly expanded into kaleidoscopic, monolithic proportions. He saw the galaxy, and the supermassive black hole at its centre. He saw the limitless stars and the astral bodies that both created and destroyed the multiverse. And he saw the planets.

Cybertron and Earth.

God and Man.

Logos and Flesh… _machine_ and flesh…

_Let me show you… how we're going to change the world_!

Within the lonely void of darkness, four red lights suddenly shone, and four voices roared forth their abiding hope.

"_Trans-Am_!!"

*

It was simply beautiful. The full potential of the Trans-Am system was as stunning as Feldt had described it. Just sensing the astonishing power humming through his system was enough. But the Gundams, in particular 00 Raiser, had achieved more than that. Prime closed his eyes as he touched his head. "Soran…" he murmured softly.

_You… you are truly no ordinary human. Why can you tap into my system? Why is a human like you capable of interfacing with me? Could it be that you have similar capabilities to the Innovators that Tieria enlightened me of? But I do not possess Veda – could it be that you're capable of interacting with it as well as myself?_

_Could it be_…

"Optimus!" came Ratchet's urgent voice. "The Meisters have cleared us a path. We're approaching Memento Mori. It'll be our turn any minute."

Prime blinked. "My apologies, my friend." He looked at his Autobot elite, who stood at the centre of the hangar from which the hatch would open and allow them to leap out into the groundless expanse of space. He closed his optics briefly. "Jetfire," he said. "Have you located our coordinates?"

"Way ahead of you, lad," said the elderly Decepticon defector. "I'm cruising just below the deck of your so-called Ptolemaios. Very impressive, I must say. Any way you could get out of there and hop into my hangar?"

"That was quick," said Bumblebee in surprise. "Then in that case…" He pressed the side of his head. "Feldt? If you please," he said graciously.

"Copy that, Bumblebee," echoed Feldt's voice. The hangar slowly slid apart, inching into its wider compartments and revealing a giant, advanced assault stealth jet. A cargo hatch, smaller than that of Ptolemaios's, began to slide open above the sleek, black aircraft-cum-spaceship. "So that is the Autobot Optimus told me about. I'm afraid introductions will have to wait. For now, good luck, everybody."

"We'll be back in a jiffy, Feldt," said Bumblebee. He was the first to leap out of Ptolemaios's opening, out into space and back into the main interior of the stealth craft. They were to be enclosed in a tight room due to their already considerable bulk, but it would be spacious enough for Bumblebee, Ratchet and Ironhide to fit. "Jetfire, old buddy! Thanks for the lift."

"Jetfire," said Prime, looking down and out towards the airless vacuum as Ironhide and Ratchet followed Bumblebee down from Ptolemaios and into Jetfire's alternate mode. "I'm sorry for summoning you on such short notice. But we're in a race against time to destroy that weapon. Take care of these three. I await your good news."

"No sweat, lad. I saw it destroy an entire city, remember? I'd be grateful, however, if you explain all this Celestial Being and A-Laws jargon to me later." Jetfire's scanners did not leave Memento Mori, which was now exposed to Celestial Being after the barrage by the Gundam Meisters. "So that's the weapon that fired upon Suille," he rasped. "I didn't see that when we descended to Earth."

"No one did," said Bumblebee. "It must have been cloaked in camouflage. But it's not getting away from us this time. Your orders, sir?"

Prime smiled expressively, rubbing his nose in thought as Jetfire and Ptolemaios's hatches slowly closed. "Jetfire, fly past this battle, past Ptolemaios, and take them to the uppermost level of Memento Mori. Let Celestial Being take care of the A-Laws. The four of you are going to destroy its bulkhead and blow up its electromagnetic resonance chamber." With a loud _boom_, the sliders suddenly shut him away from his comrades, and he was left alone in the hangar, with the final destruction of the superweapon depending on his four subordinates.

"Good luck, soldiers."

Buoyed by space, Jetfire surged forward, away from the bottom of the Ptolemaios, and fired a round of missiles against the pursuing A-Laws – not to destroy them, but to distract them as he twisted and turned to give himself the smoothest possible angle for landing the Autobots onto Memento Mori. There was only a short distance remaining. His scanners detected that the resonance chamber was directly underneath the massive head, at the topmost region of the colossal station. He shook off an Ahead as it was slashed in half by a giant sword – one of 00 Raiser's blades. Drenched in crimson and brilliant white, the Trans-Am configured Gundam hurtled below Jetfire, stabbing into two more pursuing A-Laws units. All around the extraterrestrial battlefield, the A-Laws were finally being driven back by the combined power of the enhanced Gundams. The scattered Katharon forces had finally regrouped, and with Ptolemaios, were sending a renewed, relentless barrage of missiles and lasers against the vulnerable, open carapace of Memento Mori.

"It looks like they're trying to puncture it before it can fire another shot," observed Jetfire. "Good thinking… for human greenhorns." He fired his own stealth jet's missiles against the final shield of the space station. Alone, it would have barely dented the heavy armour, but combined with the Hyper Burst Bazooka blast from Tieria's Trans-Am mode Seravee, and the additional support from Cherudim and Arios, a large perforation was at last blown through the Memento Mori, and Jetfire seized the moment to glide in, coming face to face with the giant heart of the superweapon, in which it charged its energy to shoot at nations and armies. Housed within a hall twice Jetfire's height, it was a glowing, almost pulsating green furnace, tentatively supported by four large beams of heavy metal of unknown properties.

His hangar opened with a loud, unpleasant hiss. "Out you get, kids."

Bumblebee climbed out and leaped down, followed by Ratchet and Ironhide. Dim lights surrounded the roof of the hall, illuminating the area weakly. They landed on the hard steel floor, and almost instantly an alarm began to blare. Several doors across from them opened, and while the vicinity was huge and the target almost as large, the peculiar automatons that scuttled towards them were far more dangerous than they looked. Jetfire transformed and landed, his massive former Decepticon bulk towering over the land-based Autobots. "I think we have our targets," observed Ratchet.

"These punks think they can beat us with Earthen toys?" growled Ironhide, aiming a cannon at the skating automatons. "They got another think coming." He fired four nuclear fission rounds at them, and in a split second, the entire division of drones was obliterated along with the ground they skittled on, hurled into the air, and crushed to dust by a second shot from his four-barrelled ion field blaster.

Jetfire whistled, nodding his otherworldly, insectoid head. "Not bad."

"Now, for this big boy," said Bumblebee, kicking away a disabled machine. He aimed his forearm-mounted proton gun up at the emerald chamber. "I don't think pleasantries are necessary. Everybody, fire at will."

Ratchet took aim, and Jetfire followed suit. Ironhide unhesitatingly fired eight nuclear missiles up at the resonance hub, before quickly switching two four ion fireballs and four missiles, and then to eight ion orbs altogether. He pounded the Memento Mori's heart with the firepower of four Autobots as his comrades unleashed their own weapons. Jetfire's was particularly devastating, with sonic lasers that seemed to warp the very interior of the chamber itself. They smashed against the superweapon again and again, and the Autobots did not stop, even when fissures began to burst through the lines of the machine. It started to shake as the alarm blared ever more insistently, but the Cybertronians simply took that as an impetus to unleash their full strength upon the exploding heart. The fissures expanded into holes, and holes became explosions. And as he fired round after round into the dangerously damaged centre of solar energy, Ironhide remembered a question he had once asked his commander three hundred years ago, when they had first arrived on Earth to defend the Allspark from Megatron.

"_Why are we fighting to protect the humans? They are a primitive… and violent race_."

Prime's rhetorical question now returned to him. "_Were we so different_?"

"Yeah. We were different. We _are_ different," muttered Ironhide, refiring his ion cannons at the resonance chamber. It was now on the verge of imploding completely and cracks had begun to spread from its core out towards the titanium pillars that encased it. "Or we wouldn't have stuck by these humans for so long, would we?"

"Good work. Its core is on the verge of self-destruction," snapped Jetfire. "Everybody aboard." He withdrew his miniature particle cannon and initiated transformation into his sleek, gigantic stealth aeroplane again. Plates slid into place and formed wings and a slim body. His upper latch opened to reveal hangar his smaller comrades had previously climbed out of. They quickly took the hint. Retreating inside, they sought refuge in the much larger Autobot as he soared out, leaving the resonance chamber to its volatile fate. True enough, within seconds, the entire hall was crumbling, consumed by the blistering spark of the destroyed resonance chamber. The baking heat was too much for the surrounding metal to withstand, and in an almost poetic reversal of its power, the Memento Mori's entire edifice began to implode, first from its centre, the out towards its insidious cannon, before extending to the far reaches of its control halls and command centres. The solar power within detonated the remainder of the carbon steel, and like a defunct satellite, the Memento Mori slumped, falling silent. It literally sunk towards Earth, creaking dangerously against the Orbital Elevator it relied on for energy. But the damage, thankfully, would not reach the latter; for the power had already exhausted itself in consuming the space weapon it once served.

It was no more. This crime against humanity, against the Kingdom of Suille, was no more. Its nameless dead had been avenged. And as the battle beyond the Orbital Elevator continued to rage on, it was becoming clear that the A-Laws were beginning to fall apart from the combined force of Celestial Being and Katharon, the alliance's morale boosted considerably by the dipping Memento Mori in the backdrop of a beautiful, blue Earth.

"_I know I must sound idealistic, Ironhide. It is often easier to destroy… than to_ _create. To rip asunder, than to mend anew. But as Autobots, we shoulder the ageless task of protecting the universe from the mistakes of Cybertron_.

"_It is sometimes harder to live in peace… than to destroy others through the fires of war. So if you are a true warrior… surely you wish to aim for the zenith – the zenith of peace, of life_?"


	10. Chapter 9: The Price of Our Friendship

**Chapter 9: The Price of Our Friendship**

Operation Lifebringer was successful, but still the fighting did not cease.

By all rights, victory should have been theirs. The Memento Mori had been destroyed, its inhuman potential stymied and its offensive capability incapacitated forever. But while the A-Laws battleships were pulling back, the Innovators refused to concede defeat, despite the fact that that the Gundams had not even reached their Trans-Am limit yet. Revive was forced on the defensive against the unyielding power of Arios and Cherudim, and Tieria had just about lost patience with Bring. With a mighty clash, Seravee and Garazzo crossed swords once again, and in four smooth movements, four previously unseen hands reached out from the hidden compartments of Tieria's Mobile Suit and roughly grabbed hold of Garazzo's limbs. Seravee wrapped itself around the Garazzo, its superior bulk and strength shutting off all escape. Bring snarled in surprise and frustration. Garazzo's hands had been pinned to its sides, so its best chance was to activate its Claws in the face of Trans-Am –

"Don't even think about it. Your time has come, Innovator," said Tieria calmly, his eyes quantizing, a bright, iridescent hue swimming and churning around his irises. "Once you're in Seravee's grasp, defeat is inevitable."

"Say what you want. You cannot escape your true vocation," barked Bring, desperately inputting the commands for Garazzo to break free. It was futile; Seravee was far too strong. Even as he changed strategy and began to punch in the controls for his ejection pod, a slender form emerged from behind Seravee, rising and raising its regal head like a Venus emerging from the Paphian foam.

Was it a new weapon? A cannon, perhaps?

His eyes widened. "Im… impossible!" he cried, as the figure suddenly thrust out two arms and two legs from its four extended hatches. The unmistakable, golden crest of a Gundam revealed itself, and the immediate vicinity shone with a deep green light as a slender Mobile Suit spread its dark arms wide, akin to the Anointed One that offered himself for the salvation of sinful mankind.

_Seraphim_. Tieria's trump card.

That a Gundam could conceal itself within another Gundam was amazing enough, but there was something else that astonished Bring further. "You would… willingly kill your own kind?" he murmured, staring into the eyes of his victor as Seraphim loomed over him, raising an ominous fist.

"Wrong. I've said it before, haven't I? I'm no Innovator. I am a human being!" roared Tieria, and with a blast from Seraphim's forearm cannon, the cockpit of Garazzo exploded in light purple smoke, consuming the Mobile Suit entirely and damaging Seravee along with it. Seraphim leaped away, its slender, feminine form soaring across the starry eternities as its pilot panted heavily. He stared back at the ravaged form of the Garazzo. He noticed that in the midst of their fierce exchange, he had ceased quantizing.

_That can only mean that Bring Stabity is_…

"Damn it!" cried Revive, dodging a shot fired by Arios. "Bring!" he cried. He grimaced as he dodged another five laser blasts from Cherudim. _Memento Mori has been destroyed, along with the A-Laws. And now they got Bring. I've failed. But it's useless to fight back here any longer. Humiliating as it might seem, retreat here is an acceptable option_.

With little pomp or drama, Gadessa withdrew its main cannon and shot away from Arios, beating back an undignified withdrawal as Allelujah nodded in satisfaction and directed Arios to lower its beam rifle. Without any pursuers, Revive was able to escape relatively easily as the allied forces took note of their casualties and their success. "Is everyone alright?" asked Allelujah, as the Trans-Am of the four Gundams deactivated, their GN Particles dispersing and scattering across the far reaches of the solar system.

"Somehow," came Tieria's voice.

"Couldn't be better," laughed Lockon. "The Autobots did an excellent job."

"It's… over now," said Setsuna quietly, looking around. "They're returning to Ptolemaios. And we… we can do the same. Saji."

Saji wished he could take off his helmet and wipe the profuse sweat off his forehead. "Thanks, Setsuna. Let's go." 00 Raiser turned, blasting out a fresh haze of particles, and proceeded to fly towards the relatively unharmed Ptolemaios, along with Cherudim, Arios, Seravee, and Jetfire. Everything had fallen quiet, and the momentary serenity was almost refreshing, inspirational.

"_Celestial… Being_!" came an enraged roar over the transmitter.

"What was that?!" cried Allelujah, as a glimmering red light flashed on his radar. "Something's approaching us at great speed!"

A powerfully built, upgraded Ahead Smultron suddenly hurtled from behind the ruins of Memento Mori and aimed its lance at 00 Raiser. Its pilot's voice was undeniably female. "Setsuna F. Seiei… you damn liar!" she shrieked.

Doing his best to play his part as 00 Raiser's co-pilot, Saji felt his thundering heart stop. "L… Louise?"

"It… it's you," blurted Setsuna in astonishment, as he calmly directed 00 Raiser to push the Smultron's lance away with his GN Swords. "Louise Halevy… why are you piloting a Mobile Suit?"

"To stop murderers like you, and avenge my family!" she barked, punching in the input for the Ahead to charge again.

Setsuna narrowed his eyes as he met the incoming attack directly, raising his GN Shield. "Everyone, get back to the ship. I'll deal with this."

"Setsuna, are you sure – ?"

"Go, Allelujah," insisted Setsuna. "I'll be enough." He stared at the display screen beside his control panel, which showed a shorthaired blonde's angry face, her eyes full of hurt, betrayal… and vengeance. "There is something I owe Saji here."

"Louise, is that you?!" cried Saji. "Louise! It's me! Saji – Saji Crossroad!"

Her hand tight on her control column, Louise blinked. "S… Saji?"

Setsuna nodded in satisfaction as his flight display noted that all his allies had withdrawn to the retreating Ptolemaios. All that remained on the sundered space battlefield were himself, Saji… and the laughing, spoilt girl that had once called his name "weird." But she was completely different here; even from that night he had encountered her at the Federation mansion, when she had collapsed from an unknown ailment in her body. He had been forced to flee then, having been discovered by Billy Katagiri. But this woman… this young woman was totally different from back then. "Louise Halevy," he said, as he manoeuvred 00 Raiser away from the wild swipes of the Ahead. "Why have you joined the A-Laws?"

"I told you already," cried Louise, as he steered 00 Raiser away from the laser beams she fired. "You're destroying the harmony of the world! Celestial Being is an agent of chaos, and I joined the A-Laws to stop your lawlessness!"

"The law of the Federation, as it is, is nothing more than a law of death," defended Setsuna, parrying another blow from the Smultron. "That is what we're trying to change!"

"Louise, please!" cried Saji, still reeling from this unforeseen reunion that should have been one of joy. But the truth was so distant from his fantasies. That they would meet in space and reconcile with a longing embrace… it had been a dreadful mistake to believe that would be the only way to see her again. "This is not the Louise I know. The Louise I know would never do this!"

"Then you never knew me," growled Louise, realizing that her eyes were slightly damp with tears. "And I… certainly never knew you."

He shook his head and tried again, his voice growing shriller with distress by the moment. "Come back! This isn't where you belong!"

"This is the only place I belong," she shrieked in reply, guiding the Ahead to chase after 00 Raiser. "I have nowhere else!"

"Don't you have me?" screamed Saji desperately, and at that entreaty, the Ahead suddenly faltered, its lance just brushing past 00 Raiser's sword. She blinked in astonishment as he repeated himself. "Aren't I yours? Didn't you once say that I belonged to you…?"

She began to quiver in her cockpit. "You… you…"

_You still remember_?

His voice was suddenly slightly calmer. "Louise… I'm here, in the 0 Raiser. We don't have to fight. I can meet you, in the flesh… and we can come to terms with everything that's happened!"

"I… I…" Her hands trembling, she attempted another desperate attack, but this time, Setsuna was prepared, and in one clean stroke, sliced off the head of the lance, rendering it a relatively harmless, blunt weapon. She stared up at the emotionless voice of 00 Raiser, which only accentuated the emotion in her former boyfriend's voice. "Sa… ji…"

"Louise… it doesn't have to be like this," he pleaded. "I know I can't understand what you've been through yet. But that's why… that's why I have to try!"

_Yes, Saji Crossroad_, encouraged Setsuna silently. 00 Raiser lowered its weapons, allowing for Saji and Louise to exchange words as opposed to blades. And those loving words were reaching her, reaching into her heart and unlocking memories stuffed into a closet of unhappiness and shut away. _Fight. Fight to bring her back. Fight for your future… her future. The future you cannot squander_.

"Saji," moaned Louise quietly. Her voice also grew in intensity, and she began to sob, her hands loosening on her control columns. The Smultron no longer pursued 00 Raiser, but instead floated by limply, deprived of its pilot's resolve and direction. "Saji!"

Saji could also feel himself crying warm tears of affection. "Setsuna… can you please help take her back?" he mumbled.

Setsuna nodded. "Alright."

"Louise… you're not hurt right now, are you? Please just bear with us… I only want to hold you hand once again."

She nodded, her heart churning in confusion, although she almost felt compelled to answer in the affirmative…

"Get away from the Warrant Officer!" roared Andrei Smirnov's voice over the transmitter. From the darkness, a red Ahead suddenly hurtled towards Louise, firing its rifle at 00 Raiser. Setsuna quickly guided his Mobile Suit to evade it, and he counterattacked with an upward slash, damaging the newcomer at the torso. "Officer Halevy, are you alright?" cried Andrei.

She began to stammer, staring at her raised hands. "I… I…"

"Louise!" cried Saji. "_No_!"

"This is your end, Celestial Being," snarled Andrei. "All reinforcements will attack the blue and white Gundam!"

Several dozen more lights flashed from the cloaked A-Laws mothership as it approached the wreckage of Memento Mori. "You might have taken down our station, but you won't go any further," he spat, taking the limp Smultron in his Ahead's arms and blasting away to the safety of the mothership. An obedient hail of laser fire impeded 00 Raiser's path, hurling it to and fro as it raised a GN Shield to avoid being pulverised. "Damn it," snarled Setsuna, as he felt his Mobile Suit shaking. "So many at this time? Without Trans-Am, I can't face them like this…"

"Louise!" screamed Saji, slamming two clenched fists onto his control panel. "_No! Not now_!"

"We're outnumbered and isolated," acknowledged Setsuna bitterly. "We need to retreat to Ptolemaios before they send the entirety of the reinforcements after us."

"Setsuna, please…!"

Setsuna berated himself for believing that he and Saji would have sufficed to bring her back. He looked outwards at the retreating Ahead, which had revealed its railgun and pointed it towards them. In the grasp of its left hand was the Smultron, and inside that Smultron's cockpit was Saji's fight… his reason for this war. But no one could truly understand. And he wouldn't presume to.

"I'm sorry… Saji Crossroad," he said quietly, as his better judgement overcame his genuine sympathy. "Operation Lifebringer has been accomplished. The mission is over. Without Trans-Am, we'll be destroyed at this rate." Turning away in the opposite direction, 00 Raiser proceeded to retreat from the A-Laws reinforcements and back to the cloaked Ptolemaios. He did not block his ears from Saji's wail of anguish as the A-Laws proceeded to receive Andrei and Louise. He would bring it upon himself to hear it all. He… and everyone else… deserved to hear it.

He would hear it all, and know in his heart that the fight was only beginning.

*

Ribbons Almark swore quietly to himself as he observed the aftermath of the battle on his crisp holographic screen. Memento Mori had been annihilated, and his Innovators and Louise Halevy had failed to defeat the Gundams. 00 Gundam and Setsuna F. Seiei truly had become formidable opponents. _Trans-Am, and 0 Raiser. Celestial Being has attained a new level of impudence_…

"So you've killed Bring Stabity, Tieria Erde, and chosen to stand against our kind," he whispered. "But judgement is descending upon you and your Meisters alike. And further judgement will be dispensed when I turn the entire world against your precious Autobots. Then you will know the true loneliness of isolation, the pain of wandering the world with no home to call your own."

He smirked. "You shall be akin to Cartaphilus, who provoked the ire of the Saviour, and was cursed to walk the earth for all eternity until the final days. And I, Ribbons Almark, shall accelerate the advent of those final days to recreate a new world."

*

"Are we all clear?" asked Sumeragi, beaming at the success of Operation Lifebringer. She finally allowed herself to recline against her backrest, if only for a short while. The mission had been executed well. The courage of Katharon in the face of superior firepower, and the cooperation of the Autobots, and the doggedness of her boys… it was a powerful combination, and the A-Laws had crumbled before it. "There shouldn't be any more cruisers or Mobile Suits pursuing us now, yes?"

"We're all clear, Ma'am Sumeragi," said Mileina brightly, looking down into her screen, which displayed the proud face of Bumblebee. "Thank you so much! Thanks to you and Katharon, we finally beat down those baddies!"

"Always my pleasure," responded Bumblebee. "Is everyone safe, Mileina?"

"Yup!" she chirped. "Now we just need to lie low awhile until everyone's refreshed and ready to go at those A-Laws again."

"Oi, Feldt, Mileina, Lasse… Sumeragi. I think you should come and see this," came Lockon's sudden voice. To everyone's surprise, he sounded unusually concerned. "Hurry. This won't last long. It's being broadcast live across all news channels across the world."

Sumeragi looked at her crew in consternation. They allowed themselves a short break and rose to leave the command room. In one silent line, they floated off to the conference meeting room. The doors slid open to reveal a refreshed Setsuna, Lockon, Allelujah and Tieria watching a news telecast that was being aired on the large widescreen at the end of the wall. "What's so urgent, Lockon?" asked Sumeragi, as they made their way in.

"Look at this," said Lockon dourly, nodding at the headline at the bottom, which read:

_Assault from Cybertron: Autonomous Robotic Invaders ally with Celestial Being terrorists to threaten world peace_.

"What?" cried Lasse. "What the hell are they on about?"

Setsuna grimaced. "That's not all. They're saying that the Autobots helped us commit a terrorist attack."

Footage was already being screened, and Lasse deduced that they were being broadcast to all global stations. How they had managed to obtain such close coverage of the raging battle, he didn't know. But the full story was only beginning to be unveiled. "Just over an hour ago, a satellite in geosynchronous orbit was attacked and destroyed by a combined force of Katharon terrorists, Celestial Being, and a terrifying new army of robotic giants," came a female journalist's voice. "They slaughtered the one hundred and two-strong team of the research satellite in cold blood and proceeded to partially damage the African Orbital Elevator. Once known as our guardians of a bygone age, it is evident that they have renounced that role and sided with Celestial Being to destroy the Federation."

"One hundred and two civilians?" barked Lasse. "Are these liars for real? That's a blatant – "

"In addition to murdering these innocent scientists and engineers, we've received reports that the Autobots are now preparing to hold the world's leaders hostage, and to commit various other reprehensible – "

"Impossible!" cried Sumeragi, staring in horror at army upon army of Aheads being deployed to safeguard crucial resource outposts across the world. Played on the screen now was footage of crowds of angry demonstrators and throngs of marchers screaming for the destruction of the homecoming Cybertronians. Young, old, male, female, worker, student… they gathered in the thousands, urging their governments to exact retribution.

"_No Autobots! Down with the Autobots_!"

"_For world peace – take them down along with Celestial Being_!"

"_Throw them in the scrapheap with the Gundams_!"

The Meisters stared in disbelief at the flocks of civilians chanting slogans of virulent hatred against the Autobots. A frightened Mileina almost recoiled from the scenes on the widescreen. "Nasty…"

Tieria's eyes narrowed at the glorified mob mentality. "Innovators… this is manipulation of humankind at its most insidious. They're regulating – no, forging – information to feed the common people."

A fluttering, raised flag of the Federation suddenly replaced the rioting throngs, symbolizing the world government's resolve to destroy the Autobots. "As of now, the Federation is transferring full command of the regular army to the Autonomous Peace-Keeping Force's high command. The President has promised that no other innocents will suffer at the hands of the Autobots. With luck, we may see a quick end to this conflict with the subduing of Katharon and Celestial Being, and the defeat of these alien invaders. This is Angela Cook, reporting live from the English embassy in the Netherlands. Back to you in the studio, Thomas."

"Thanks very much, Angela. Now, moving on in our breaking news column, a stealth airliner mysteriously disappeared from its hangar after…"

Lockon switched off the widescreen tube in disgust. His voice echoed slightly throughout the room as the crew fell into stunned silence. "They've branded the Autobots as outlaws. Those fatsos in government have some gall to condemn someone who protected us three centuries ago."

"I can't believe it," said Feldt in hopeless astonishment. "Autonomous Robotic Invaders?"

"How ironic, when the Federation employs the _Autonomous_ Peace-Keeping Force to keep dissenters either silent or dead," spat Lasse in fury. "How can they twist the truth like this?"

Sumeragi put an anxious hand to her chin. "Optimus… are you getting this?"

"Yes," came his weary voice over the built-in speakers inside the room. "I must admit I am somewhat dazed. I'm afraid that Ironhide and Jetfire are furious, and Ratchet and I are taken aback. I did not imagine that the A-Laws controlled even the hearts of men, women and children so… easily."

"Optimus…" murmured Allelujah sadly.

"A-Laws bastards. First you demonize Katharon, and now you…" gritted Lockon. His fist clenched. "You really do enjoy making our victories bittersweet, don't you?"

"We… have nowhere to go now?" asked Prime glumly. "We, who once treated Earth as our home?"

Sumeragi could sense the hurt in his words, and she suddenly felt a surge of guilt. She glanced at Setsuna, and he nodded resolutely. He stepped forward, addressing the Autobot leader. "They do not control us, Optimus. They don't control Celestial Being. And that's why we're their greatest threat. We refuse to kneel before their tyranny and deception, and so we're outlaws."

His dark eyes glimmered. "Louise was wrong. We're not agents of chaos. We're agents of change. And for your sake, Optimus… we _will_ change humanity. We took down Memento Mori and brought Ribbons Almark's scheme to a halt. It will be some time before they can attempt such a heinous crime again. But this is their revenge. There is still a long path to walk.

"Like Saji Crossroad's battle… the true fight is only beginning. And we'll fight it with you."

*

"It is good to see you again, old friend."

Ratchet looked up at the colossal Jetfire who dwarfed even Prime, although it wasn't surprising, given that he was one of the oldest, most powerful Transformers that once served the Decepticons. But his advanced age (even for a Cybertronian) had given him many millennia to reflect on the mercilessness and senseless cruelty of the Decepticons, and eventually, weary after so many centuries of fighting, he surrendered to Prime, finding peace under the figurative wing of the Autobots. Nevertheless, as if to emphasize his seniority, he had always maintained a streak of grouchiness within his spark, and his rough return to Earth had done nothing to ease that cranky cynicism. Ratchet couldn't blame him. The Autobots had been assaulted by A-Laws before being separated and thrust into a dangerous, unfamiliar world of Gundams and Innovators. And as for poor Jetfire, he had been wandering the skies fleeing from the A-Laws, witnessed the destructive horror of Memento Mori, and participated in a sweeping battle against a foe he barely knew.

And now, the entire human race hated him, along with all its other guardians.

Of course, Ratchet was quick to point out that the humans of Celestial Being were as wonderful friends as they could possibly hope to be honoured with. The Meisters' bravery was unparalleled, the friendliness of the crew, unmatched. In their young organic eyes, he could see the goodness and potential that was once embodied in Sam Witwicky and his friendship with Bumblebee. Certainly, the yellow espionage expert had seemed slightly subdued since his return to Earth, and it was understandable: no matter how much of a happy face he presented, the fact was that Sam was no longer here. Neither was Mikaela. Whilst there might have been misunderstandings and even conflict between his fun-loving nature and the more suspicious humans (Agent Simmons was one that immediately came to mind), Bumblebee genuinely cared for the _homo sapiens_ of Sam's generation. And now they were all gone, disappeared like the biodegradable mush they were.

Nature had a funny way of treating dead organics.

Jetfire had only just been enlightened of the A-Laws and the Innovators. His opinion of them, typically, was low. "And what of these Celestial Being fellows?" he had asked Ratchet, his wide, thorned head turning as Ironhide sullenly kicked at the foot of 00 Gundam and Bumblebee sulkily picked at a dent on the floor. "Optimus thinks highly of them. But that doesn't follow that we should."

"You can trust them with your spark," smiled Ratchet. "In fact, I believe the commander is having a word with Celestial Being's tactical forecaster now. They are amongst the only humans strong enough – and brave enough – to resist the iron will of the Innovators."

"Hmph. Getting cosy with humans, is he? He's always nurtured a fondness for the little ones."

Ratchet beamed. "But this one is different. This one, you could say… is his complement. She has become somewhat… of a raison d'être, I believe, for his struggle against the Innovators. Along with the young man called Setsuna F. Seiei, she is now his reason for pressing on."

He raised his head to look up at the docked Cherudim Gundam, silent in its inactive guardianship of the spacecraft. "He sees her as his closest human friend… and that is why he is willing to bear the hate of the world he loves."

*

Sumeragi wasted no time seeing him. In the corner of the large docking bay, where a large Transformer could enjoy a degree of privacy, he lowered himself before her diminutive body again, his calm countenance meeting her anxious aura. "I'm so sorry, Optimus. I wanted to say this earlier, but I…" She hesitated, her hands shifting from side to side to her back, revealing her self-imposed disgrace. "All I've been preoccupied with is my fight, Celestial Being's fight. I've given no consideration at all to the price that you've had to pay for our friendship. I'm so angry with myself. I haven't learnt a thing. I've given in to my selfishness yet again."

Prime moved to offer his hands. She nodded anxiously, and he tenderly scooped her up to meet his face. "Leesa, none of this is your fault," he whispered, observing the human commander, who knelt on all fours, staring at him vulnerably. "You have been so very kind to us. That is all that I need to sustain my struggle. Should the cosmos itself despise us, as long as you remain my friend, my spark will never falter." But he could not hide his sadness at having been forsaken by the descendants of the human generation he served three hundred years ago. He blinked slowly and sorrowfully. "This… is not your fault at all."

She shuffled forward on her knees and remorsefully hugged his large head as he closed his optical sensors. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. Her cheek pressed against his faceplate as her hands repentantly stroked the sides of his mouth. "Celestial Being was supposed to take the hate of the world upon itself so that man might be unified. But you Autobots prefer to be acknowledged and loved by our kind, don't you?" Her gentle but firm grip on his metal tightened. "I wish you would teach me your wisdom. Sometimes, it makes so much more sense than Schenberg's crazy plan."

They remained touching each other, in delicate closeness for many minutes, until he was forced to let her down. She was to return to her crew and steer a new course around Earth. He was not surprised that despite his friends on the Ptolemaios and the undying loyalty of his Autobots, he still felt acutely lonely after she had departed.

*

*

*

A/N: Boo. =P I usually don't put author's notes at the end of chapters (sometimes not even at their beginning) for fear of breaking its drama or tension. If I did with any of my A/Ns then I'll stop, since I think I've written more A/Ns for this story than my other ones. Anyhow hope you're enjoying the accelerated "dialogues" between the Transformers and humans... but with the agenda of the Innovators and the looming shadow of the Decepticons, these dialogues have gone horribly wrong. Next chapter is called "Endgame's Herald." Just who is this (or these) herald (or heralds)? Update will come in the next three days or on the weekend. Thanks for reading.


	11. Chapter 10: Endgame's Herald

**Chapter 10: Endgame's Herald**

Today was a rare day off for the crew. Sumeragi strongly suggested that they enjoy it.

The mood on the Ptolemaios was effectively glum, despite the fact that the crew had managed to shake off the A-Laws pursuit. This sombre air was evident when the four Meisters and Marie left the upper deck to visit Ian, who was in an unusually foul mood even though he was in the presence of his wife and daughter. "So the Autobots have been accused of 'invading' Earth, have they? The media seems to have conveniently forgotten that it was the A-Laws that attempted to dispose of them first." He stepped out from behind Celestial Being's new mobile armour, the GN Archer. The aerial complement to Arios Gundam had been completed ahead of schedule, but it was not enough to stop his grousing. "Tieria! What do you think of those Innovators? Those that used Memento Mori, and then covered it up to make us look like war criminals?"

"You're harsh today, pops," whistled Lockon.

But Tieria was willing to indulge him. "These Innovators claim to guide humanity, yet they remain obsessed with transcending it. I don't know of any worse hypocrisy."

"Their argument is simple: that only superior creatures have the mandate to rule over inferior sentients. It is a common argument, one that Optimus Prime has heard many times from Megatron." Setsuna approached the gathered crew, stopping before Ian. "Where is the new recruit?" he asked, looking around and seeing only familiar faces. "I thought you said you'd introduce us."

"New recruit?" repeated Allelujah, surprised. "I didn't hear anything about this. Marie?"

The silver-haired girl shrugged cluelessly. "I… I don't know."

"Oh, that's right!" Ian chastised himself, slapping a gloved hand against his forehead. "My apologies. I'll take you to see her now."

"_Her_?" asked Mileina suspiciously, as the door opened to another comfortable room. They proceeded in, with Ian and Linda leading the way. Allelujah and Marie looked at each other curiously as they followed the Vashti family into the corridor and out to a bright, crisp room with no equipment.

"That's right, she's a woman… and a real woman, at that. She is extremely intelligent, knowledgeable regenerative medicine, astrophysics, Mobile Suit engineering, and piloting. She's also a fantastic cook, and an absolute belle to top it off!"

"Don't say that in front of Mum!" cried Mileina, punching Ian lightly on the arm.

Linda laughed. "I already know what your old man thinks of her, sweetheart." The door to their right slid open with a _hiss_, and from the gloom of the engineer dock emerged a feminine figure of modest height. "You must be tired after your journey from Lagrange 5," called Linda. "Do come out and introduce yourself before you go rest, won't you? It would be so lovely of you."

The young woman shifted forward into the light, and Lockon blinked as the filtered gleam from the ceiling illuminated her long, light purple hair and elegant, deep red eyes. Her face was gentle, smooth, almost perfectly formed, and her figure was hidden underneath her new Celestial Being uniform, this time of a partly red-coloured jacket and blue collared tee, along with heeled boots that completed a tasteful but distinctly feminine outfit.

Ian stepped aside and gestured to her as she placed her hands behind her back, not in assertion, but in diffidence. "Please give a warm welcome to our ship's new engineer!"

"My… my name is Anew Returner. Pleased to meet you," she offered shyly, a shade of pink creeping over her pale cheeks. Her voice was melodious, light, and free, like a noble seagull soaring over cobalt oceans. "I promise I'll work hard and live up to your high expectations." She looked up, and to Lockon's pleasure, her eyes seemed to meet his first. Their gazes interlocked for several moments, before she continued her soft-spoken introduction to the rest of the crew. "Do I have the pleasure and honour of addressing the renowned Gundam Meisters of Celestial Being?"

"We don't usually let ourselves be seen so casually. I'm the Meister of 00, Setsuna F. Seiei," offered the Kurdish pilot.

"Allelujah Haptism, and this is my girlfriend, Marie Parfacy. Pleased to meet you, Anew," smiled the super soldier.

"Thank you," said Anew graciously. She turned away from him. "And you would be…"

"Tieria Erde," was all the androgynous Meister said. He did not care if he sounded dismissive. He was more interested in her countenance – a countenance that looked unusually familiar, as if they were kindred of some kind…

_Where are you from_? That was the question he wanted to ask, but he refrained. The time would come. For now, he would give her the benefit of doubt. Suspicion, at this point, was neither helpful nor necessary.

Lockon resisted rubbing his chin in admiration as he watched her. She seemed kind, and scholarly. He didn't know how Celestial Being had recruited her, nor did he realize that she bore a remarkable resemblance to a pilot he had crossed beam sabres with a short while ago. But he was certain of one thing. "The one and only Lockon Stratos," he declared, stepping forward and offering a hand. His greeting was short, but self-deprecating and intentionally wry. "Pleased to meet you… Miss Returner."

She obligingly took his hand and squeezed lightly. "The pleasure's all mine, Mr. Stratos," she smiled. Their handshake lingered longer than was usual, but neither moved to protest. She seemed to rest quite happily in his assertion that he really _was_ the one and only Lockon Stratos. And that alone was enough to captivate him.

_She's beautiful_.

*

_Gundam hangar_

A day off meant different things to different crew members. For Sumeragi, it meant another visit to her closest Cybertronian friend.

She had fallen asleep in his tender hands, the same way she would fall asleep in Emilio's warm arms. When the Meisters weren't present for her to command, she did not hold back. She was polite and kind, but often painfully forthright in her emotions and her desires. On his part, he waited uncomplainingly for her to regain the vitality she had expended since Operation Lifebringer, but even his metal joints were growing slightly sore as she continued to slumber for over two hours on his palm. And besides, she was a leader. She could not keep Ptolemaios's squad waiting.

_I have held her here for so long. Does she not feel stiff, too_?

"Please wake up, Leesa," he whispered softly, dipping down slightly and observing her closely. He cradled her slowly from side to side, encouraging her to stir. "We cannot remain like this forever."

"You've no right to force me from my bed," mumbled the uniformed woman.

"But you are sleeping in my hands," he pointed out patiently.

"Because they belong to me," she insisted fuzzily, caressing his palm slowly and affectionately with her slender fingers. She continued to lounge on him, her brown hair spilling past between his thumb and index. Her body was gently curvaceous and full-figured, a work of art that was unknown on Cybertron, and as such, it was fascinating to witness the positions the human body was capable of. She turned over on her back, purring unconsciously and rubbing her eyes. In the face of her reluctance, Prime desisted in trying to argue and fell into silence, wondering how to coax her to rejoin the humans. He regretted that each time, she was forced to make a personal trip to the hangar to visit him when he would have preferred to return the favour. Unfortunately, the size of the corridors and rooms made it a practical impossibility. But if only he could have provided a more comfortable environment for her to rest in…

He blinked again, studying the human woman that took refuge in him. She was not made of metal but of organic tissue, and hence by default, from the Cybertronian perspective, she was staggeringly fragile. One forceful squeeze – that was all it took to extinguish a human life forever. But that did not make him feel any contempt for her whatsoever. Contempt was a judgemental sentiment Megatron often experienced whenever he perceived the myriad weaknesses in fleshlings. That was the fundamental difference between him and his brother. Whereas Prime glimpsed life that was sacred and in need of nurturing and guidance, Megatron saw only stunted evolution that could only be eradicated in order for genuinely superior life to flourish.

Prime abhorred that simplistic, self-justifying worldview. He felt even more unapologetic about his concern for organics now that Sumeragi trusted him to the extent of sleeping in his hands. He felt his spark burning with a protectiveness that was not completely familiar, but not completely foreign, either. She was so fragile, therefore all the more precious… like a priceless gemstone, a treasured jewel.

"I couldn't think of anywhere else you'd be. What are you doing up there?" came Allelujah's amused voice.

Prime blinked as Sumeragi suddenly shot up, seemingly wide-awake. How did she do that so quickly? "Nothing," she replied dubiously, peeking out above his fingers.

"I know you're busy," called Allelujah, his smile confessing that he didn't mean his words, "but you should have at least come with us to welcome our new engineer."

Now it was her turn to blink. "Miss Anew Returner? She is already here?"

"Admittedly, she only arrived three hours ago. I don't know how long you've been out, Ma'am Sumeragi, but you'd better get your helloes in before she gets back to work. She'll be in the command room, so you won't be inconvenienced talking to her."

"A new crew member… Anew Returner?" confirmed Prime. "What a curious name."

"How embarrassing," said Sumeragi in mortification. "Allelujah was right. I should have been there to introduce her to the ship. Why did you let me sleep on, Optimus?" She gazed up at him somewhat crossly. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

He blinked artlessly. "Because you refused to leave me."

Her only comeback was to flush with pleasure, as she turned away, lost for words.

*

"Our sleeper agent has been planted within Ptolemaios, Ribbons." Revive Revival, still slightly shaken by Bring Stabity's death at the hands of a fellow Innovator, narrowed his eyes as he tried to parse out the emotions behind his leader's cold, purple eyes. "Wang Liu Mei has fulfilled her promise magnificently. She has outlived her purpose and is no longer needed. You only need to 'assign' me to that accursed spacecraft, and Anew and I will have no trouble dismantling Celestial Being from within."

"Very good," replied a seated Ribbons Almark, staring raptly at the screen before him. "It's only a matter of time when we require her to act. But for now, allow us to regather the A-Laws after their disastrous fiasco at the Memento Mori. It was fortunate that our public relations agents had little trouble in convincing the herd masses of humanity of the Autobots' guilt. Either way, it is unfortunate that humans are so incompetent, even when they are serving a greater good."

"So you recognize that the Autobots are an anomaly in your plans for world reunification," pointed out Regene Regetta, who stood behind Almark's sofa. "In fact, it looks as if they hold a special place in Earth's history, along with our prized GN Drives."

"I have decided that our eventual victory must come in two stages," continued Almark, pointedly ignoring Regene. "Firstly, we must have Revive and Anew take back 00 Gundam and 0 Raiser. I never imagined that the 0 Raiser would have allowed 00 Gundam to exceed its already formidable Trans-Am limits. Its particle output has transcended the theoretical limits of all Mobile Suits in existence." His clasped hands, usually so relaxed, clenched. "Setsuna F. Seiei… he is blessed with twin original GN Drives. His power has grown to unacceptable proportions, especially if one recalls that his inheritance belongs to us. Celestial Being has outlived its usefulness to me and has become a liability to world unity. Hence, Revive and Anew will engage in this crucial first phase and retake what is rightfully mine."

As if on a cue, Healing Care emerged from the door below the staircase, bandages wrapped around her midsection. "Hey, don't forget about me, Ribbons," she pouted, her hand pressing against the side of the wood. "I can't wait to take revenge on Celestial Being."

He looked at her, smiling sympathetically. "Of course. You will be part of our second phase: to have the A-Laws and our own forces launch an all-out attack against Celestial Being and the Autobots."

"Still, isn't this overkill?" sniffed Regene. "To plant a sleeper agent within a trusting crew like that of the Ptolemaios when you have enough forces to crush them in one blow… aren't you being a bit paranoid? Are you afraid of the unity of Celestial Being, Katharon and the Autobots in the face of a fiercely cohesive Federation?"

Almark smirked again. "It is a perfect stratagem. Anew will be tragically unaware of her true purpose and settle into the daily life of the crew as smoothly as anyone else. Her spirit and character will endear her to anyone who encounters her… and she may even form relationships of intense attachment and devotion. That is perfect. It will make the final destruction of Celestial Being all the more satisfying. As a custom made Innovator, she was created with a remote override feature, making her mind – and therefore her body – my puppet, my plaything if I so choose. The moment opportunity beckons, I will take control of her being and fulfil her destiny for the Innovator cause."

"You're a cruel man," muttered Regene.

Almark's retort was cold. "I have no sympathy for superior beings that seek to understand inferior races. Our proclamation must reach all humankind, and bring them all under my guidance. Send a transmission to Ali al-Saachez. Prepare to sortie, and settle matters as planned… once and for all. And whether he succeeds or dies, I will set into motion the endgame of this little chess match. And the world will know of my rule, and they will know evolution."

"Your rule?" said Regene, his voice just above a whisper. "This doesn't sound anything like Schenberg's original plan."

"Yes, my rule. After all, I am your creator, the very ideal of Innovation," said Almark equally softly, looking directly into the other's eyes. "I am superior to all of you… and I shall transcend not only humans and Innovators, but Transformers themselves."

*

"You're not the only Lockon Stratos?" Anew blinked in surprise as she sipped a cup of hot tea in the refectory. "Then the first was… your brother, Lyle?"

"Yeah," said Lockon, leaning against a table and putting a hand on the chair. "His name was Neil. I suppose Ma'am Sumeragi didn't tell you about him."

Anew smiled bashfully. "Actually, she did. But I was so happy to meet the Meisters, that I somewhat forgot. I was only interested in meeting the current Lockon Stratos. What a surprise that he's your brother. My apologies, Lyle. I'm sure that the memory of your elder brother is still very much alive on this ship."

Despite his guilt at feeling such pleasure at her words, Lockon could not help it. At last, here was a woman who didn't measure him according to Neil! She had actually forgotten the heights to which his elder brother had soared, more eager to meet his successor instead. Granted, they had just met, but if he looked at it honestly, he had no choice but to acknowledge the instant attraction he had felt towards the crimson-eyed beauty.

Hopefully in time, it would even become mutual.

He almost wanted to thank her, but he decided against seeming too boyish. He turned to pour himself a cup of hot tea too, and as he glanced at her, she looked down at her feet diffidently. "I don't want to see Miss Returner feeling lost and confused. Would it suit you if I personally showed our new astro-engineer around her magnificent new home?"

Anew's beam complemented her blush perfectly. "That would be great, Lyle."

*

"It's about time to explain everything, Tieria," said Setsuna, as he and Allelujah stood before the Innovator-Meister in the mess hall, in which they had finished their meagre lunch. Time in space distorted one's perception of mealtime, and most of the crew had learned to "eat when hungry" many years ago. Lockon was absent, apparently having taken it upon himself to show Anew Returner around the Ptolemaios. Only the three pilots remained, their meagre meals of beef sandwiches and cold soup forgotten as Tieria stared sharply at Setsuna over his glasses."I can tell that the Innovators are accelerating their plans," he continued. "They pre-empted us with Memento Mori, and we now know they've amassed an army of skilled pilots to counter our Gundams. We can no longer respond to their threats; we must take matters into our own hands."

"Then I assume you're implying one thing and one thing alone," replied Tieria slowly. He looked at Allelujah. "We must take back Veda."

"Take back Veda? That sounds quite reasonable to me. But how?" said Allelujah. "With the way things are now, it's nigh-impossible to pin down these Innovators. The world is already united against us, but it's public opinion of the Autobots has been served the purposes of the A-Laws all too well." His expression was unhappy and pessimistic. "I know Celestial Being is supposed to work best when it is taking on against the world. It is for that reason we exist. But ever since the Autobots joined in our missions, doesn't it seem… different?"

"Different?" asked Tieria, raising an eyebrow.

"Well… yes. At first, I thought the difference was superficial, like the immediate benefits of our relationship with Katharon. But then I noticed Ma'am Sumeragi, and the… strength with which she carries herself now. I've never noticed that since her return to Celestial Being. And it's as if the hurt left from the wounds of four years back and beyond have healed somewhat." The mild-mannered pilot paused. "I know it's difficult to explain. But I believe the Autobots have made me rethink my outlook on Celestial Being and our role in the age we seek to bring about." He returned Tieria's questioning gaze. "I am now convinced that we need more than an alliance. The Autobots need Veda itself to topple the Innovators. Why else is Setsuna's connection with their computer systems – and 00 – so strong?"

Setsuna started as he remembered his telepathic visions and communication with Prime through the GN Particles and the quanta. "The dialogues," he remembered aloud.

"That's true," admitted Tieria quietly. "I believe our encounter with Optimus Prime and his troops are more than just coincidence. Something in my head is telling me that the encounter between humans and Transformers is also going to be a dialogue between Earth and Cybertron – in other words, Veda and the Transformers' sparks, the cores of their being that can assimilate any and all information into their systems and utilize that data accordingly. The unity of Aoelia Schenberg's technology and the benevolent Autobots would mean the dialogues' continued success and expansion under the wing of the universe's most powerful beings… and a formidable defence against aliens of hostile inclination like the Decepticons."

"I can testify to that." Tieria and Allelujah turned in surprise at Setsuna, who narrowed his eyes and absently brushed back his messy black hair. Something profound had happened to him during the assault on Memento Mori. Operation Lightbringer had brought a new experience to him, something that seemed completely natural yet totally bizarre, abnormal… a heightened awareness beyond verbal expression. His connection with Optimus Prime had augmented his consciousness and genetic capabilities, allowing him to utilize Trans-Am to its fullest capability as well as absorbing power from the GN particles of his Twin Drives. Even more unique was the nagging sensation that many other feats were, by logical extension, not impossible. Only now had he begun to unlock the potential of the Twin Drives, and the Gundam system itself. The Autobots had opened up a new universe to him, and had entrusted him with imparting it to the world for the Earth-Cybertron dialogues.

But he was still troubled by the daunting task of recovering Aeolia's final legacy – as Tieria had deduced, recovering Veda was, one way or another, of immense importance for the Autobots to fulfill their new vocation on Earth. "But the Innovators are using Veda to their advantage in every respect. How can we go on the offensive?" he asked. "In terms of intelligence and public manipulation, they clearly have the initiative."

"At the moment, it is foolish to send any of our number out," stated Tieria. "The only thing we can do is wait for them to commit the mistake of attacking us again. And if possible… we should capture an Innovator for first-hand information." His eyes flashed. "Only then will we strike. We'll wipe out their forces and locate their main force and headquarters. We'll engage them in one final battle and seize Veda. And by reclaiming what was ours, victory is assured."

Galvanized, Setsuna nodded to his two fellow Meisters. "I'll go and report to Sumeragi and Optimus of our plan. I'm sure they will be all too happy to cut a path to the future."

Allelujah and Tieria were evidently invigorated, too. "We'll do whatever it takes to restore humanity's faith in the Autobots… and in itself," said Tieria. "But first and foremost, we must have conviction in our own path. Only then can we hope to break the stranglehold of the Innovators. For surely there is no greater threat."

As fate would have it, such an assertion would prove to be fatally mistaken.

*

Deep within the Innovators' command centre, an innocuous, innocent-looking transceiver that had been laid aside by Revive began to slowly hum. It slowly split into two pieces, and it suddenly opened into an amplifier. It resembled a slightly outdated communicator, one that was pioneered by experts in the field of Veda's supercomputer networking system four years ago.

It did not shift anymore, but from its circuit lines glowed a sinister blue, as if some sinister agent was channelling its own energy into the device.

Suddenly, something from within began to vocalize audio patterns. From the speaker of this small, unnoticeable transceiver came a droning, coldly logical, emotionless voice. It was the voice of an ancient blackguard that once stood alongside his master in undying, unemotionally rational loyalty. It was the voice of a herald. A herald of Megatron himself.

"_Decepticon agent: Soundwave. Intergalactic dissemination infiltration: successful_.

"_Beginning first phase of Operation Integration. Initiating hacking agents into human core system. Objective: Absolute assimilation of Veda into all Decepticon databases. Desired outcome: Cybertronian upgrades of Aeolia Schenberg's blueprints of the Mobile Suit Gundam system and subsequent integration into Decepticon bodies. Required elements: Solar powered GN Drives and Cybertronian sparks_.

"_Predicted projection of power: Limitless_."

*

"_Soundwave has located Veda, Lord Starscream_."

"_And he is assured of subsuming it completely_?"

"_Yes, my Lord_."

"_The source of endless solar power… it is our right and our dominion! Our objective is the evolution of our bodies into the universe's truest form of perfection: possession of the GN Drives, solar power, and the weaponry of these Gundams that Soundwave's reported to us about. To harvest the sun, as the Fallen once wished… the unity of Veda into our systems will be nigh-perfection – an acceptable surrogate for our unattainable unity with the Allspark. With the power of a star in our hands, total omnipotence shall become part of our very nature_."

"_Of course, Lord Starscream. The time has come to act. Our destination is Earth's star system. We will take it upon ourselves to disrupt and impair every Earthen faction to the point of destruction before we reveal ourselves proper. Only then may we deem ourselves the rightful masters of the humans' solar system, and their destinies_."

"_Very good. Then let us depart. Make haste, all of you. All Decepticons… mobilize and interchange your coordinates for Earth_."


	12. Chapter 11: Fragments of Tomorrow

A/N: From the advice of previous reviewers and in light of my own plans, I've decided that it's quite impossible to continue this story whilst trying to fit it in a frame of 25 chapters. It's largely for the sake of doing this crossover justice, and giving full scope and attention to the characters you love (and love to hate). I'd be very proud if anyone is inspired by _Transformers 00_ to write their own Gundam/Transformers crossover (regardless of continuity), but as long as you feel that this story doesn't skimp on the detail of its universe and the characters living, fighting and loving within it, it's good enough.

Those who nurture a more casual interest in Transformers should take care - you may be slightly surprised or taken aback by the revelations from the Transformers in this story, although everything here is canonical material from the movie continuity that is already released in some kind of medium. I think the strongest point about the movie universe is that it brings Transformers into a much darker universe of horror science fiction, and as a result, we've got even more creative room to work with, especially in a crossover with Gundam 00. But I always make a point to myself that the absolutely central protagonist in this story still remains Setsuna F. Seiei.

Feedback is appreciated. :)

*

**Chapter 11: Fragments of Tomorrow**

Ali al-Saachez was reclining sleazily on the long, comfortable seat of his Arche Gundam cockpit when his control screen opened to reveal his sponsor's face. "Yo, boss," saluted al-Saachez casually. "Is it time for my debut?"

"Indeed, and I look forward to it. You have been chosen to lead an all-out assault against Celestial Being," said Almark. "I would appreciate it if you helped me attempt to convince Setsuna F. Seiei to return 00 Gundam to its rightful owner. Otherwise, you may do as you please. Your mission is simple: to divide and conquer Celestial Being and the Autobots. Use any means within your power and preference. I want them systematically disposed of."

"The brat? Hmm," pondered al-Saachez. He scratched his mane of long brown hair. "Aye to that, then. You can rely on me to get my job done. What can I take along?"

"I am sending five A-Laws motherships and one hundred Mobile Suits to your coordinates. Deploy them as you see fit. The Federation is evidently unappreciative of your talent and as I am now directing absolute command over all of Earth's armies, you and my subordinates will also assume authority. It is only a matter of time before the more mediocre commanders are defeated by the new Celestial Being-Autobot alliance. I have no need to rely on the former just yet. Therefore, I shall entrust the destruction of the alliance to you."

"Eh, those geezers most certainly are clueless," laughed al-Saachez, rubbing his nose. "Well, if my sponsor's so reliant on me, I can't let him down. Don't worry. I'll take revenge for Memento Mori. I'll take back 00. And I _will_ kill everyone within that damn Ptolemaios."

Almark's transmission ended, and al-Saachez stretched his stiff arms. His eyes glinted with a bestial light as he licked his lips in anticipation. "The boss has some interesting plans for you all," he whispered. "Even someone like me has to admit that he enjoys his… style.

"Don't run, Kurd brat. This isn't the past. This is the present, the heart-pounding, blood-pumping present. You can't even worry about the future. But that's a good thing. It'll be fun… trust me."

*

Lyle and Anew stood by the side of the spacedeck, watching a chunk of asteroid rock slowly floating by the rectangular window. There was a strangely soothing atmosphere when one simply stopped to watch the suspended pieces of shattered comets in the harmless distance, and perhaps it helped to calm Anew's nerves when she looked away from Lockon's sympathetic gaze. "I'm sorry I can't answer you, Lyle. I… really don't remember anything about my past. You've told me much about yourself, but it must seem like a one-way conversation. I only wish I had more to offer you, Celestial Being and the Autobots. Optimus asked me the same question as you, only to receive the same blank stare. I was so ashamed."

"I would never assume anything about what you have to offer." He paused. _The girl must have suffered in her old life. Perhaps she was even traumatized. I can't be too careless here_. He smiled as she looked back at him, slightly surprised. "I don't like it when a lady addresses me in such a distant way."

She smiled shyly. She was about to speak admiringly of the ease with which he carried himself when Mileina's high-pitched warning rang out through the corridors of the spacecraft. "Enemy forces are approaching us from all sides! Everyone, to your battlestations!"

"A large force of A-Laws is approaching, led by an unidentified Mobile Suit. We will need all hands on deck to repulse it," said Feldt. "Meisters, please prepare to sortie. All Mobile Suits will be launching in approximately ten minutes."

Lockon's smile disappeared. There was work to do, and a battle to win. "I'm going, Anew," he said, turning in the opposite direction. "It's time to suit up. Wish me luck."

"Please be careful," said Anew. She made as if to step forward, but stopped herself. "I know you've fought for Celestial Being many times before, but still… please be careful." She blinked. "I must seem naïve, surely."

Their eyes met again, and he smiled. "Don't worry," he said, giving her a light wink. "I'll be back in no time. The prospect of seeing you again is the only survival kit I need."

She smiled and backed away diffidently as he continued on his way and approached the room's exit. Her slightly parted lips and her healthy blush bespoke of her growing ache, but it would not be until he returned that she obtained a chance to express it.

*

00 hovered beside the Ptolemaios, scanning the precise number of the Mobile Suits that screamed towards the ship. "Ten… sixteen… at least twenty of them," he confirmed. "And led by…"

His eyes widened. It was a giant, silver-grey prototype Mobile Armour. Resembling a giant crab, its design was strikingly reminiscent of the colossus he had fought four years ago. A grotesque, pseudo-Gundam with two massive pointed pincers and a wingspan of more than a hundred feet, its particle cannon was visible from its front, and it dwarfed the armaments of 00. Equipped with two GN Tau Drives, it emitted a familiar, sinister red light that could only have come from the conspirators that had hacked into and stolen Veda.

"Is… that a shadow of the Alvatore?" whispered Setsuna. "Alejandro Corner once used this weapon… but I destroyed it, along with his ambitions!"

A deep, hostile voice crackled over the transmitter. "Wrong, Setsuna F. Seiei. This is the Empruss, the weapon with which I shall defeat you. My name is Devine Nova, and I have come to exact revenge for Bring Stabity."

"You can try," snarled Setsuna, recovering quite quickly. He glanced at the Trans-Am screen; it was past one hundred and thirty. This time, they would break the enemy with a ferocious offensive. "Lockon! Allelujah! Tieria!"

"Trans-Am!" cried Allelujah, and Lockon and Tieria followed suit, activating Trans-Am and allowing a wave of transparent crimson to wash over their Mobile Suits. The yawning chasm of space exploded with a saturation of GN particles as the four Gundams of Celestial Being hurtled towards the fleet of Aheads. Several shots from Arios Gundam felled three Aheads, reducing them to cosmic debris. Cherudim's well-placed and well-timed sniper shot blasted another trio into oblivion, and 00's twin swords cleaved into the cockpits of two advancing A-Laws soldiers. Seravee activated its GN Field as a hail of plasma beams punched over it, and retaliated with an almighty shot from its Buster Cannon. The ravenous beam swallowed up seven more Mobile Suits, and the disoriented remnants quickly came under 00's relentless attack, hacked and dismembered into several chunks of useless scrap metal by Setsuna's flawless piloting. But their commander, Devine, was not about to surrender so quickly, and two elongated arms suddenly shot forth from Empruss's pincers as it advanced towards the Meisters. Tieria quickly turned and activated his GN Field again.

But this time, it was not successful. The claws smashed into the forcefield of particles and began to push through. A shrill, ear-shattering screech thundered through the air. Tieria's eyes widened as his hands tightened on his controls. "It… it can nullify my GN Field?!" gasped Tieria. "And… reach me while I'm in Trans-Am?!"

"Behold," snarled Devine, and the claws forced themselves against Seravee, clamping themselves around its torso and legs. A powerful surge of electricity rippled from the claws through to the metal arms and hands, and Tieria screamed as the volts struck into the circuits and plates of Seravee's e-carbon body – and into his own. The cockpit began to shudder, its control panels and display screens igniting into miniature explosions. Shards of tektite glass stabbed into his arms, and the white-hot heat that engulfed the cockpit scorched his suit to breaking point. He slumped, briefly losing consciousness as Devine's sinister voice rang out in his head. "It doesn't seem too difficult to incapacitate the rest of you."

"Tieria!" cried Allelujah furiously, forced back by a powerful blast from another Ahead. Cherudim quickly went to Arios's aid, shooting down the remainder of the A-Laws privates. But they had opened themselves to Devine, who steered his Mobile Armour towards them –

"Lockon! Allelujah!" warned Setsuna, as 00 blocked Empruss's claws with two desperately drawn swords. He gritted his teeth, pushing on his control gears with all his physical might. Sweat leaked from his face and trickled down his forehead. But the strength of the Empruss was inexorable. He could not fight its strength alone.

"Give up," snarled Devine triumphantly. "This is the end!" He pressed a button, and the particle cannon from the centre of the Mobile Suit and aimed surreptitiously at 00's chest.

"Damn it," snarled Lockon, aiming for Empruss's upper region. "This guy just doesn't quit!"

Setsuna closed his eyes. "Then I will stop him myself. I won't let the Innovators control the world with their delusions of grandeur!"

With that, 00 momentarily pushed back the Empruss's beam sabres, and simply… disappeared in a giant haze of gentle green light.

Lockon blinked. "Huh?"

"Setsuna?" whispered Allelujah.

"What… what?!" growled Devine, turning his helmeted head to and fro. _What happened? Where is he_? His eyes widened as his display screen blared out a warning. A signal had been detected from behind, but it was not from some new source.

It was 00.

Devine did not dare to believe the impossible. "What – what is this?!" barked the Innovator in amazement, hastily steering Empruss to turn. _He disappeared – and reappeared?! That's nothing less than ludicrous_! But the Mobile Armour was far too slow, too clumsy, compared to the dazzling speed and agility of 00. The barrel of its cannon was quickly and neatly severed, rendering its trump card harmless. Devine frantically activated his own GN Field, but in a marked reversal of circumstances, 00's humongous swords easily shattered the gathering particles from the GN Tau Drives, smashing through and stabbing into the Empruss's front armour. 00 soared away and returned, bearing down upon the Empruss as it reared up, its pilot gritting his teeth in ire at the sudden reversal in strategic advantage.

More significantly, the Gundam was now saturated in celestial green. The specks of light interspersed across the ruined battlefield, peppering the wreckages of the Aheads and the damaged Mobile Suits of the Meisters. Lockon looked up in amazement, and the injured Tieria was stunned into silence. It was an endless waterfall, a relentless cascade of GN particles. And it came from none other than 00… from Setsuna.

_Quantization_.

The endless brilliance pouring from his Gundam was what Marina would one day call the light of his fight… the light of his life.

Trembling in his cockpit, Allelujah clutched his head, screaming. "These… particles…"

When he looked back up, it was not him, but Hallelujah who responded, his wild, manic eyes gleaming. "I'll show you, Allelujah. You should have killed this Nova bastard ten minutes ago!!" And before Devine could react, the particle-infused Arios slashed down, cleaving a massive, smoking scar across the top of the Empruss. The Mobile Armour slackened slightly despite Devine's desperate attempts to bring it back into balance. "Dream on!" shrieked Allelujah's alter ego, steering Arios to riposte in mid-air and shoot directly into Devine's cockpit. Several catastrophic explosions engulfed the Mobile Armour as a mighty beam sword from the quantizing 00 carved into its upper body, making a single clean slice past its primary shell and out past its underside. A massive explosion engulfed the immediate vicinity of space, and the claws of the Empruss went limp.

Devine coughed blood, his fingers slackening on his controls. He stared into his screen, into the glowing eyes of Arios furiously. "Impossible… for my Empruss… for me… to lose to the likes of you lesser beings…"

"To inferior beings? You mean us?" screamed Hallelujah gleefully. "Get real!" And with a bloodcurdling scream of sadistic arousal, he directed Arios to plunge its beam saber into the cockpit of the Empruss, destroying the Mobile Armour completely in a haze of ruined circuits, e-carbon plates and purple smoke. The battlefield was silent save for Hallelujah's cackling, until even he fell quiet. The GN particles had partly dispersed, and they eventually scattered once again as the Gundams' Trans-Am systems spent themselves, leaving the subdued Mobile Suits to hover silently and survey the widespread destruction of the skirmish. Setsuna panted quietly as Hallelujah slumped. Allelujah recovered, rubbing his helmet and gasping for air. _Those particles… and that quantization… I felt it on more than just a physical level. Something is happening with the GN Drives of 00_.

"That burst of GN particles… it brought out Hallelujah? Setsuna… what happened to you? What's going on with 00 Gundam?" Allelujah turned in consternation. "But now's not the time. I need to go retrieve Tieria." Arios turned to the immobile Seravee and began to pick apart its broken plates, searching for the injured pilot within.

"Dear me," said a staggered Lockon, as he forced out a chuckle. "Things have been really changing with you recently, Setsuna – " His eyes widened as his radar displayed a bright red dot. "No way. It's… it's Arche Gundam!" he barked, glancing out towards the red discharge from a fake GN Drive in the distance. "I'm going after him!"

"No," said Setsuna, who had also pinpointed the location of the mass-murdering mercenary. "Go protect the Ptolemaios. I'll destroy Ali al-Saachez." 00 soared towards the hovering Arche Gundam, which suddenly turned and retreated. Setsuna blinked in surprise. It was heading for Earth. It didn't matter. They would settle this either way. He could attempt his tricks, his lies. But the end would be the same.

"But Setsuna, you need backup," came Lockon's angry voice. "And revenge… it's something that doesn't come often, you know?"

"I must change," murmured Setsuna, cutting off a surprised Lockon. "I must change, for those that could not change." And with that, he disappeared, leaving the weary Meisters to return to the Ptolemaios. Reluctantly steering Cherudim away from the source of the enemy signal, Lockon struggled to comprehend what Setsuna had meant, until his transmitter happened to pick up the whisper of the Kurdish Meister before it cut off.

"I will change in place of you… Neil Dylandy."

*

Seated comfortably within his secret base of operations, Ribbons Almark clenched his teeth in undisguised wrath.

"Setsuna F. Seiei. Time and again you defy my will, despite everything I have given you," he snarled softly. "Perhaps I should have a little talk with you directly." He pressed a comlink on his sofa. "Prepare the shuttle, and make it quick. I shall descend into the filthy world of foolish humans. 00 is already in hot pursuit of Arche Gundam."

"It will be done, sir. What might your intended destination be?"

Almark smiled mildly. "The same as al-Saachez's. Kurdistan."

*

From the deck of the Ptolemaios, Optimus Prime looked up to the roof of the hangar, sensing the progress of Setsuna's gradual fruition: his evolution into the heir of Aeolia Schenberg's vision for spacefaring mankind. "Soran…" he murmured.

_You are no longer the same form of human I watched over three hundred years ago. _

_You… are changing, my child_.

He remembered an age when Megatron also slowly changed, from a forbidding but noble warrior into a murderous tyrant. He had always been strict, firm, and severe in his role as the commander of Cybertron's vast military and defence forces. When he began to rampage across his own planet, he was, at least in his spark, still convinced that he was acting for his homeworld's best interests. His fierce pride as guardian of Cybertron's wellbeing had led him to gradually become corrupted by The Fallen, the ancestral being for which the Allspark had created the Transformers. Megatron unwittingly became a pawn in The Fallen's search for stars to replenish the Allspark's creative power. The schism between the Autobots and Decepticons was The Fallen's responsibility, and that made Megatron's betrayal all the more tragic.

Three hundred years ago, the very sun of the Earth world-system had been imperilled by this threat. As the humans struggled to re-orient their history and purpose in the cosmic scheme of ancient beings of limitless power, the Cybertronian survivors of the wars, those that experienced constant evolution and struggle, continued to search for the meaning of their existence in the wake of The Fallen's evil and Megatron's tragic transgressions.

Now, in the face of Setsuna's quantization and the sacred, searing energy of the Earthen sun, Prime believed he had finally found the answer.

*

_Beneath the twinkling stars. Kurdistan_

He had pursued him for over ten minutes, but the chase dragged on, much to Setsuna's suspicion. Whilst the Ptolemaios had managed to withdraw from the battlefield completely, he doggedly shot towards the fleeing mercenary, who seemed completely content to give ground. He could not help wondering if it was a trap. But out here in the open in the ruins of the country of his birth – who could possibly ambush him successfully? Or did he plan to call in a massive fleet of reinforcements?

_What are you intending, you bastard? Just where are you thinking you're taking me_?

It was late afternoon, and the evening star was already rising into the darkening sky. They were approaching the high dome of a ruined mosque when al-Saachez suddenly steered his Gundam to hover above the rubble. "Perfect," he called arrogantly.

Without realizing it, Setsuna realized that he had chased him all the way down to his native homeland. They had stopped at the decrepit location where he had once looked into the dazzling GN particled wings of 0 Gundam. It was almost akin to a religious experience, looking into the eyes of that wondrous machine as it gazed upon the shattered nation in the same way Optimus Prime looked down at the Ptolemaios crew during their very first meeting. But Setsuna now knew better, and he understood that 0 Gundam's eyes lacked something that was perpetually reflected in Prime's. And that was compassion.

Oh, how the memories of yesteryear returned to him.

Setsuna aimed his sword at the Arche Gundam, but to his utter shock, it suddenly lowered its arms and began to slowly descend to the sandy ground. Al-Saachez's greasy, despicable voice cut into his ears. "Oi, wait up, kid. Trust me, I'd love to beat you to a pulp here, too… but this isn't the time. I've got a message for you."

"What are you planning?" replied Setsuna tensely, refusing to lower the GN Sword.

"Just calm the fuck down and I'll tell you everything." Arche landed, and two circles of yellow dust were hurled into the air beneath its feet. Setsuna reluctantly followed suit, and 00 slowly touched the earth as well. The Saudi mercenary and murderer casually leaped out of his cockpit's open canopy, standing in the hand of his Mobile Suit as he saluted the emerging Setsuna. "My apologies for calling you a brat. I suppose you're a Kurdish bastard, now that you've grown so tall."

"Shut up," said Setsuna, whipping out his pistol. "What do you want? Why are you working with the Innovators?"

"I thought I told you to chill. Firstly, no, I don't want to fight just yet," said al-Saachez. "And yeah, if a mercenary has a client, it's his job to make sure the mission assigned is completed to the client's complete satisfaction. And that's why I brought you here. There's someone who wants to see you – my dear sponsor, my client." He gestured dramatically to the dome behind the Arche Gundam, and Setsuna stared ahead, refusing to release his handgun. The religious structure was tinted brown and deep red, its fragile structure a testament to its defenders' determination to defend it at the cost of their lives. From around its shaded rear stepped a short, smooth-faced man of diminutive size, his hair a light green and his eyes a light purple. He was garbed in strange, sterile clothes that were not immediately recognizable as belonging to any particular nationality. But his androgyny gave it all away.

He blinked leisurely and scrutinized Setsuna.

"What do you want?" asked the Kurdish Meister brusquely.

The other began to speak, his unexpectedly deep voice analytic and cool. "How impolite of you not to acknowledge my name – Ribbons Almark. Are you that hotheaded? Or are you simply forgetful? Either way, it's been a long time, Setsuna F. Seiei." And with that, his eyes began to glow yellow, to reflect the very sun itself. "Or perhaps I should acknowledge you as Soran Ibrahim."

"You – you know my true name?" whispered Setsuna, his grip on his gun lightening slightly.

_Just like Optimus_…

"Of course. After all, this is not my first time meeting you, although this is your first time meeting me in the flesh. In fact, this was the very first place in which we encountered one another," noted Almark, looking into Setsuna's eyes. He continued, ignoring his expression of disbelief. "Yes. I saw you here, eleven years ago, on this very spot. In this quagmire of a battlefield in which you foolish humans tore at each other's throats like wild dogs scrambling for freshly severed meat, you were but a scrawny Kurdish boy wielding a rifle too heavy for his own body, scrambling for his very life."

His eyes continued to glint. "And then I saw you… from the cockpit of a Mobile Suit."

Setsuna suppressed a gasp as that fateful day passed between his gaze and Almark's. "It couldn't be… that suit?"

_From 0 Gundam_?

"Yes. That particular mission was to evaluate the capabilities of Earth's very first Gundam, 0 Gundam. As I was assigned a highly classified assignment, I made a note to destroy all that witnessed the Mobile Suit in action. But I spared you."

"Wh… why?" asked Setsuna, still slightly staggered that it was an Innovator that had propelled him on his journey to fight as a Gundam Meister.

"In a short answer… it was your eyes." Almark nodded, as if affirming for himself something he had reflected on for some time. "The way you looked up at me, at my Mobile Suit – it touched me, to see a boy as young as you imbued with such… faith in the power of Gundam. I was very impressed. Perhaps that was the very first time I took pity on an inferior being. And do not forget that it was I that enabled you to become a Gundam Meister," he added. "Through my influence, you were chosen to become the pilot of Exia Gundam. I accessed Veda and replaced you in my stead. On nothing more than a fleeting impulse of mercy and respect, I changed your life forever."

Setsuna's brown eyes widened further, and then they narrowed again. "You want me to thank you?"

Almark smiled. "Well, it shouldn't come as a surprise to you when I declare that your current Mobile Suit, 00, belongs to me."

"What?"

"As the 00 is the successor to 0 Gundam, it is only just that you return my inheritance. I need it to end human discord, and by implication, human suffering."

Setsuna refused to answer his demand. "What do you know about the Transformers? What do you intend to do with them?" He clenched his free fist. "You Innovators laid the blame on them for Memento Mori's destruction, didn't you? They came to protect us, but you've decided they're a threat, along with Celestial Being. Do you intend for all-out war?!"

Almark smiled. "These aliens from Cybertron? They are evidence that the so-called coming dialogues have arrived sooner than expected. Have you thought about humankind's vulnerability in this vast, lonely universe? Think of the oceans of blood spilled by kings, politicians, generals and fools so that they could exult in reigning as the momentary masters of this blue speck in the midst of infinite darkness. If humanity is such a susceptible race, we cannot allow extraterrestrials to deceive us whilst we are still not united."

"The Autobots are our friends," snapped Setsuna, "and you've turned the world against them!"

"Autobot or Decepticon, they are simply the same as humans themselves: inferior. Either way, I suppose your questions are euphemisms for your refusal to acquiesce to my demands." His glowing eyes narrowed, and his threatening words contrasted starkly with his ever-calm voice. "That a frail man like you can enter into direct dialogue with these beings… and control 00 like it is a part of you… is simply a miracle. And miracles, just like the Resurrection, only happen once." He turned his back and began to walk back behind the tall dome. "Do as you please, al-Saachez."

"Damn you!" roared Setsuna furiously. His finger pressed the trigger of his pistol –

"Ha!" barked al-Saachez gleefully, shooting Setsuna in the bicep in a demonstration of his superhuman reflexes and gunmanship. The Kurdish pilot grunted in surprise and pain as hot blood spurted from the neat, perfect bullet that embedded itself in his soft muscle, tissue and bone. He staggered back, almost falling from his hand, and grabbed his suspension rope, rising back into his cockpit. Only his quick thinking prevented an even more well-placed bullet into his head. He slumped in, staring into al-Saachez's bloodthirsty eyes as the compartment door closed up, obscuring the evening sky ever so briefly before it appeared again on his display screen. To his further surprise, Arche Gundam was already rising up into the sky, and the voice of the Saudi mercenary rang loud and clear in the cockpit's speakers. "C'mon, Soran. Let's get this show on the road. It's a fight to the death – _your_ death!"

_No. Don't let him get to you. Strike him down. Think of nothing else_.

Setsuna calmly bandaged his wounded arm with a spare cloth by the side of his display screen. He wrapped the towel around tightly and squeezed. Pain shot through his nerves and marrow. His gore soaked through almost immediately, but he was undaunted. Adrenaline shot through his body, numbing the crippling agony somewhat. His strength would inevitably be stunted, but he did not care anymore. He gritted his teeth.

"Yes. It's a fight to the death."

_Let's finish this here, Ali al-Saachez_.


	13. Chapter 12: Apostate's Rebirth

**Chapter 12: Apostate's Rebirth**

He did not believe that he would ever survive this battle, even with his dogged, stubborn tenacity. The wound that numbed his arm, coupled with his depleted Trans-Am system, stole from him the few advantages he could have levered over al-Saachez. Worse yet, he was not entirely sure _how_ he had managed to quantize. If only he could replicate, moment for moment, that glorious quanta reformation. How he had managed to wink out of temporal, earthly existence and somehow attack Devine from behind and trounce the Empruss in one perfectly executed finishing blow – those questions and more plagued him as he struggled to hold his own against the persistent Fangs. The familiar but lethal matrix of red light threatened to cut at 00's arms and legs and sever its torso from its waist. Setsuna accelerated his Gundam, dodging a criss-cross of lasers and sacrificing his GN Shield to the powerful beam sabre that cut at him. "You've wreaked so much chaos and death across the world in your life," he gritted. "I'm putting an end to that today."

"You're my proudest creation!" spat al-Saachez, chortling and staring madly at Setsuna's face as he drew another beam sabre. "You and your fanatic devotion to KPSA… it was a riot! Those were the days when a pipsqueak of a child like you would wail about justice and God and all that bullshit…" He swung, and 00 met his attack with its own. Yellow light screeched along yellow light as the Gundams struggled to throw each other off-balance. "But I suppose you'll never understand the heart of a mercenary. No, not you… you who've fooled yourself with the false vision of a peaceful world!"

"You – " Setsuna wrenched his eyes shut as an explosion rocked the knee of 00. "You've destroyed the lives of far too many people. My life… Lockon's life… I won't let anyone else lose their futures to you!"

"They didn't just lose their futures to me! I lost my future to them, too!"

"What are you talking about?" growled Setsuna.

Al-Saachez laughed again. "You won't ever understand that, brat. And that's why you'll always be a failure in peace _and_ war."

_I have to finish this_, thought Setsuna furiously._ But he's got an advantage over me. If only I could recall that moment of quantization… _

_When I first saw Optimus's face amidst those GN Particles_…

"Ha! What are you doing?!" crowed al-Saachez, directing Arche to strike 00 with a clenched fist, partially shattering the crest of the latter's head. Exposed circuits fizzled and crackled amidst the Gundam's ruined face. "It hurts that you're not paying attention to my swords and guns!"

Shaken, Setsuna gritted his teeth. _How did I do it_…?

And as he stared into the looming, triumphant face of Arche Gundam, Prime's benevolent voice suddenly echoed in his head. "_Soran_."

00 reeled as its right arm detached itself from its torso, severed by a hidden sword from a concealed limb in Arche's leg. Setsuna desperately steered away, but al-Saachez chased him, aiming his Fangs directly towards his cockpit and raising his beam sabre for a final blow. "It's been fun, brat!" he cackled. "Have fun with the boys in the Hereafter!" He mock-paused, tapping his goateed chin smugly. "I forgot, Soran. There's no such thing as a Hereafter! Or the Allah I indoctrinated you with!" Arche Gundam thrust its sword towards Setsuna's display screen. Eyes wide, the Kurdish pilot stared towards the approaching blade, temporarily blinded by the white-hot glare of the beam. And then, his hands relaxed on his controls. He slowly closed his eyes, allowing the GN Particles of 00 to wash over him.

"Ciao, Kurd scum!" screeched al-Saachez gleefully.

If providence did exist… if he really was destined for some special destiny… then he would let the dialogues decide his future… or his death at the man he hated.

"Optimus…"

But he could not have predicted what would transpire next. The beam sabre had suddenly withdrawn, but not because of its wielder's will. The straight trajectory of the sword had stopped, and the hands of Arche Gundam had released its handle. The sword fell, a long way down towards the night desert sand. And all Setsuna could hear on the receiving end was a rude profanity, an expression of utter surprise.

"What the _fuck_ – "

A massive discharge from a veiled proton cannon rocked the Arche Gundam, physically wrenching it away from 00 and tearing it apart. Setsuna opened his eyes and glanced up at the screen, and his eyes widened. Nothing could have prepared him for what was displayed on the tektite glass.

Ali al-Saachez was suddenly and unexpectedly dead. His head had exploded in a haze of blood and tissue, his pink brains and fleshy nerves spilling from his split skull and cleft crown and soaking into his matted hair. His drooping body quickly followed his ruined cranium as the Arche Gundam imploded in a nova of red and black e-carbon and purple fumes. Sick to the stomach, Setsuna felt his heartbeat stop as a mechanical, emotionless voice resonated from behind the smashed and inoperative Arche, which began to plummet to the ground, its remains detonating as it nose-dived into utter oblivion.

"Experimental target eliminated. Rescinding cloak shroud."

Slowly, a field of invisibility washed away, revealing a powerful, sleek, sinister fighter jet. From its design and size, Setsuna deduced that it had come from the A-Laws, or perhaps the more influential Federation airliner suppliers. But that was not the true problem at hand. He was staggered that a Federation military aircraft could have even escaped a Gundam's radar scanners. And even more peculiarly, it was of an Earthen colour, designed for large-scale air strikes, although engraved at the sides of its were… ancient hieroglyphs.

But these hieroglyphs that were not of this world.

_Cybertron_. Those characters were Cybertronian hieroglyphs.

Setsuna's eyes widened in realization. This was no military jet.

Without warning, the vehicle's very mass began to change orientation, and it began to transform, to shift away its disguise and reveal its true self – a powerfully built, grotesque Cybertronian that possessed the capacities of flight. Suspended in the sky, countless silver plates, large and small, effortlessly twisted and rearranged themselves to accommodate an emerging exoskeleton. The cockpit of the jet lowered and slammed down against its back, forming a broad, powerful chest. The wings, like a sleight of hand, folded back upward and began to rearrange themselves into long, sleek arms, ending in long, horrific metallic claws that flexed menacingly. Lower limbs, similar to that of a silverback's, emerged from the rear of the vehicle and locked into place, extending past a metallic, folded groin. And finally, a rounded, insectoid head shifted into Setsuna's horrified sight, with narrowly framed, glowing red optical sensors and gold, sharp pincers for a mouth. Bending its wrists, the demonic being snarled, screeching its entrance, and the sonic frequencies that rippled through the sky were crippling to the ear, even for a pilot housed within a Gundam. Setsuna clutched at his helmet, barely able to look upon the hideous newcomer.

_Optimus warned me… that I would one day fight them._

_The mythic, infamous traitors of Cybertron_…

For the first time since he had entered into dialogue with the Autobots, he finally witnessed, with his own eyes, a true Decepticon.

_Decepticons… the faction that fought under Megatron, Optimus's brother and sworn enemy_.

An ancient evil, a primeval, treacherous conspirator, had revealed himself after three centuries of dormancy. He was of a tall and wide frame, and his figure, his structure, was noticeably simian whilst possessing the elements of a horrific, overgrown bug. He opened his clicking, abyssal mouth, speaking with a smooth, slippery intonation. "Is it not ready yet, Soundwave? It is time for the first trial to begin."

"Data acquired," came an equally sinister voice – an unfeeling, coldly logical voice. It resounded from nowhere but everywhere. "Proceed with Phase One."

The hovering… creature… spread his arms, metallic claws clicking. "Decepticon air commander, Starscream. Initiating first assimilation trial. Downloading: now."

It took Setsuna several moments to grasp what the Transformer meant. But it very quickly dawned on him. _He… he has access to Veda_! he thought wildly to himself. But how could a Decepticon have infiltrated the Innovators' base of operations? Unless they had somehow known of the Schenberg plan prior to the Innovators' ascension… and unless they already had deployed agents on Earth to observe the war between the A-Laws and Celestial Being…

Slowly and spectacularly, a wave of ethereal blue light materialized out of thin air and began to wash over the Decepticon. Starscream raised his head, closing his crimson optics as the radiance washed over him. And with each portion of his body that the light covered, his limbs grew, multiplying in size, armour, and shadow. The cascade left his face with a crest of two looming horns and even broader shoulders. Four massive cannons had emerged behind him, giving the impression of a mechanized cherub's wings. The sheet unhurriedly fell away, revealing thicker, armoured arms and longer, metal-booted legs. How he had managed to absorb so much of Veda's information, Setsuna didn't know. But one reality was undeniable: somehow, the Transformer before him had managed to gain obtain Celestial Being's most esoteric database, and on a much deeper level than Prime had ever been able to access. And with each passing heartbeat, the Decepticon processed more and more of Veda's specifications for the ultimate weapon, configuring it via his scanners to suit his Cybertronian body. This wasn't a matter of merely scanning some disguise; this was an entire reconfiguration of the body that housed a Transformer's spark. His repulsive Protoform could be seen only briefly as he discarded and deleted his jet disguise. Size, mass, or balance no longer posed a question. Little by little, his body grew to accommodate the new mass of his Earthen upgrade, until the blue fountain of the stolen data dissipated entirely.

This terrible night, a new fusion of being was born above Kurdistan.

The union of human genius and technological ascendancy had culminated in an aberration of the dialogues.

Originally several metres shorter than 00, Starscream now hovered a hair taller than the Gundam. Sleek, lean and elegant, the Decepticon was bathed in a dark bronze colour, with shades of crimson on his shoulders, trunk and limb joints: an almost direct contrast with 00. The elongated cockpit window was still evident against his strong chest, which could only mean that he still retained his Cybertronian transforming abilities. His head seemed larger, crowned with two horns and an unmistakable, majestic crest that lent him a more regal appearance, like a prince of Hell. His revolting, enlarged pincers remained, however, rendering his countenance not simply awe-inspiring, but horrifying.

And with his new form came new weapons. His right hand now clenched a GN Buster Launcher. Four massive beam cannons were mounted behind him, two aiming northeast and northwest, another two aiming southeast and southwest. And as his true GN Drive, his _genuine_ solar furnace, whirred behind his back, GN Particles suffused the atmosphere and pattered down around him. He and 00 were both saturated by the radiance, and Setsuna's mouth dropped open as he stared into his display screen. "A… a new… Gundam?" he whispered. _Aeolia Schenberg entrusted Celestial Being with the original GN Drives_! "Impossible… how could this be?"

Starscream raised his new arm, clenching his clawed fist and relishing his newfound form. "So this is what the power of Earth's sun feels like… the might of a star finds its most majestic expression through the Cybertronian heritage." His pincers clicked. "My consciousness, my body, my spark. It has been united with everything a Gundam has to offer, without the need for a human pilot and none of its fleshling weaknesses. Phase One is successful, Soundwave. The union of a Cybertronian body with the specifications of a Mobile Suit has been accomplished. End the transmission. Begin preparations for the next stage."

He stopped speaking to his mysterious comrade and stared sharply into the scanners of 00, his bug-like optics flashing calculatingly. "Setsuna F. Seiei. Alias: Soran Ibrahim. You are the first Gundam Meister to come into contact with our Cybertronian race. To come into contact with our nemesis… Optimus Prime."

00 hovered limply, and the pilot within pressed frantically at his controls, but they wouldn't respond. Only then did he realize that he had never even moved. He was frozen, paralysed to the spot. "But – Veda is in possession of the Innovators," he muttered, trying to make sense of it all. "How could – "

"This is the result of two centuries of planning, of observing Aeolia Schenberg's designs for your mortal world. I have discovered through Veda that he, through his so-called dialogues, intended to present the blueprints of the Gundams to the Autobots as humanity's ultimate gift and gesture of goodwill." He laughed. "But I, Starscream, with my loyal Decepticons, have stolen those blueprints for ourselves.

"We planted our agent from within the Innovators and A-Laws headquarters, feeding us with information we are processing even as we speak. Your Innovators are but our playthings, our puppets. And soon, they shall burn away, along with your world." Starscream smiled, baring his jagged pincers. "Though I'm loathe to thank a human, this time I will make an exception. I owe your people a debt, Setsuna F. Seiei. The power that Celestial Being's supercomputer has imparted to us is the perfect harmony of Cybertronian sparks and solar energy. Three hundred years ago, an elemental force called the Fallen desired to harvest the sun to imbue the Allspark with yet more energy. But through Veda, we've required that ability with a fraction of the effort."

Setsuna still felt paralysed, his wounded arm trembling uncontrollably. _I must retreat… I must report to Sumeragi. _

_I… I need to warn Optimus_!

The reborn, legendary Starscream grinned exultantly, his silky, mellifluous voice suppressing a wild cackle of elation. A new cascade of aqua-green particles spilled out from the configured Transformer's body as he spread his arms, rising above the immobile 00. "How glorious. This is my new form – my new weapon. Behold… this is _Nergal Gundam_."

Setsuna could not speak; only listen in dread to his self-congratulatory oratory. "The time for the Decepticon insurrection has not arrived yet. The Innovators are blissfully innocent, fondly believing that they hold the key to true power. Let them indulge in their pitiable delusions for a little longer. But I have already said too much… perhaps my gratitude towards fleshlings was truly genuine this time. We will meet again, Setsuna F. Seiei." Without warning, he raised his arm and aimed his GN Buster Launcher at the human within the original Mobile Suit.

"Or perhaps not."

Pressing the trigger, Nergal Gundam fired repeatedly upon 00, catching a helpless Setsuna completely unawares and blasting five holes into the already shattered Mobile Suit. 00 reeled, smoking from its extremities and its crippling damage. Losing control of his suit's own navigation, its pilot fell towards the Kurdish soil below the bleeding sky, hurtling past the darkened clouds and the cold evening air. Starscream hissed in satisfaction as he stared at the Gundam's shrinking form, admiring the devastating firepower of his Gundam's upgraded armament. And then, as quickly as he had come, the mysterious Decepticon vanished, transforming into a colossal jet fighter not dissimilar to Arios Gundam's alternate mode. It hurtled away in the opposite direction, to a lair unknown.

He laughed to himself again. This power, this freedom, felt wonderful.

But Soran Ibrahim did not hear Starscream's parting words, for he had already fainted and spiralled into oblivion.

*

"_This is God's holy abode."_

_The voices were echoing within the darkness, a darkness from which shone the invisible glory of the Divinity. Only silence and solitude could reveal this sacred light, for it was shunned by the deluded, worldly powers of the Devil._

"_We wage war to repulse the infidels from God's sanctum, the home of the Lord. Justice is on our side, on your side. You boys who take up your rifles to protect the Deity's chosen – always remember your vocation, as children of God… as warriors of God… as faithful jihadists of the faith. When in doubt, consult our most holy Book, the Scriptures that dictate the fate of the world. Time is against the infidels. The Oneness of God proclaims the destruction of the unholy ones."_

_The child could hear a low drone, a high drone, and a faint humming. And then, like a dream, voices rose towards the domed ceiling of the mosque._

"_This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah. Who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them; And who believe in the Revelation sent to thee, and sent before thy time, and have the assurance of the Hereafter. They are on true guidance, from their Lord, and it is these who will prosper._

"_God is great."_

_A splay of rapid, coarse gunfire echoed into the darkness. _

_And then, silence pervaded._

*

The yellow flowers were blooming. Blooming, amidst the arid, dry desert sands. They were a peculiar breed of flora – he had forgotten their name already, so rare were their kind. He had no use for botanical savvy. He was a fighter, a fighter that fought endless battles with no respite in sight. Perhaps because such a peace lurked on the horizon, he had never been able to quite grasp it. A horizon, after all, was but an illusion that humans projected onto the unknown.

"Setsuna… Setsuna…"

But regardless, the flowers still grew.

_Where… where am I? What happened to me_?

"Setsuna."

A familiar, feminine voice was calling out to him. He groggily forced his eyes open. Although his eyelids were as heavy as stone weights, his heart involuntarily skipped a beat to see Marina's worried face looking down at him.

"M… Marina… Ismail…" he acknowledged slowly and woozily, noticing through his blurred vision her elegant, flowing white dress and her flowing, lustrous raven hair. "Why… why are you here?"

"Because you're in the Ptolemaios," smiled Marina in simultaneous relief and concern. "They tell me Feldt tracked down 00's dying signal in the desert. We left orbit, descended into Earth's atmosphere, and found 00." She bit her lip, her hand finding his. "We feared we had truly lost you. 00 is heavily damaged, from your battle in space and your battle over Kurdistan."

From her tender touch, he remembered everything. He had suffered a gunshot wound to his arm, and was further injured in his fight with al-Saachez. But he had not managed to avenge Neil Dylandy. He had not managed to best the Saudi mercenary. So why was he still alive and lying in the infirmary of Ptolemaios, his weakened self in the presence of Marina?

Her eyes glimmered in concern. "You… you were crying out in your sleep, Setsuna. You were… whispering the name of someone called _Starscream_."

The remaining memories now returned, welling up in his consciousness like a volcano. It was Starscream who killed Ali al-Saachez. It was Starscream who had distorted Aeolia's vision. He and his followers had hacked into Veda and stolen the blueprints for the GN Drives and Gundams.

And upon assimilating Veda, he had shot Setsuna into the desert sands, leaving him to his fate.

"The Decepticons…" The injured Meister stared at Marina with an almost prophetic urgency. "They… they have access to Veda." She blinked in surprise and mild discomfort as he forced himself up and clutched at her soft, rounded shoulders. "You must tell Optimus… we have to tell everyone… there's a threat far more powerful than the Innovators. Ribbons Almark isn't even aware – "

She smiled slightly, putting up a brave face. She returned his desperate embrace, pulling him close and allowing his head to fall against her bosom. His cheek pressed warmly against her snow-white fabric as she began to whisper tenderly into his ear, her soft lips brushing by his cheek. "I've had a talk with Optimus. He is very concerned for you and thanked me for notifying him of your survival. But it is you that he trusts the most. You must be the one to warn him – but not now. Not while you're like this."

She gazed down at the many bandages she had personally wrapped around his torso, abdomen, and arm. She gently placed a hand against his lean chest, smoothing out the cloth. "You… are so strong, Setsuna," she blurted. "When Bumblebee retrieved you from the disabled 00, I had feared the worst. My thoughts ran wild with the horrible possibilities that might have befallen you. But once again, you've amazed me with your tenacity and your will to life."

He met her deep blue eyes again, and for several moments they stared at each other, caught off-guard. A blush began to creep up on the older woman's face, especially when she realized that they had not released one another. "Where are we headed for?" he asked quickly, to assuage her embarrassment.

"We're approaching Japanese airspace. We will stop above Mount Fuji, where Ma'am Sumeragi believes the Federation's propaganda hasn't reached yet. In the meantime, everyone will be able to enjoy some hard-earned rest… especially you," she said softly. "Ma'am Sumeragi told us that there's only several hours before we reach the East China Sea."

She smiled pensively. "You once went undercover in Japan, before the world suddenly united into... into this Federation. Do you remember?"

"Yes," he replied at once. He felt her lowering his injured body from her embrace and easing him back onto his bed. He could not help staring up at her as her tresses draped down, tickling his bare shoulders and the sides of his face. When he was only of sixteen summers, and she twenty-four, he had deceived her; he had hurt her. But through their mutual correspondence, they gradually came to understand one another, if only partially. "I remember it very clearly."

She smoothed back his messy mop, her cerulean orbs softening further. "You were only a child then… a child who willingly thrust himself into a world of war." The idealistic and courageous Azadistani princess drew nearer, her lips unusually close to his forehead. "Even to this day, I don't know how to react to that insight."

He hesitated in responding, although he finally relented. "We both chose the path of peace, but you chose peacemaking whilst I joined Celestial Being. I believed in their ideals, in their ability to end conflict. And I know you disagree," he conceded, looking into her hesitant eyes, "but your principles didn't solve the suffering of your nation. That is why we've both come to an impasse."

She forced out a friendly laugh. "I… I would have rather pursued a life of music, because… that is my passion. But for the sake of my people, I can't abandon my beliefs, my faith…" She gazed down intently at her pilot, her champion of sorts. "Your words… touched me greatly," she murmured. "Four years ago, when you wrote to me of your hopes for the future… it felt almost immature, childish, to experience sorrow over an exchange like that. But I must confess to you… that I wept. I wept for you… for the both of us."

"Marina," he whispered, his voice simmering with emotion. He slowly rose, groaning in exertion as his wounds began to sting through her carefully applied bandages. "I…!"

She hurried to help him up. "Don't force yourself," she begged. "You've been forcing yourself to accomplish so much. Can't you see that you have your own needs, your own yearnings? Don't you wish to grow, too?"

Their hands found each other again, and for a moment, he wasn't sure if her soft skin was real. It was as if he had entered a surreal trance with the woman before him – he hadn't experienced true human touch for several lifetimes. "I… I'm not sure if I know how to answer your question."

"That's alright. I don't need an answer. But I wish very much to understand you," said the princess. "If I understand you, that's enough. That's the path to world peace… and inner peace… that we must all take."

She was a lady's lady, and a man's paragon. But her connection with the Meister had plunged deeper than anything anyone could have imagined. He stared at her as she reached for his lean hands and guided them up to the sides of her head. He slowly complied, dazedly cradling her head and stroking at her locks as she stared into his chestnut eyes. He observed her curious hairstyle, her elegant, slender nose, and her slightly parted, inviting lips. She clutched his fingers tighter and her eyes fluttered close for several moments, her unconsciously blissful sigh whisking them away in an ephemeral escape from their mutual alienation, from their common sadness.

But that flight was momentary nevertheless. Her face was shy as she forced herself to stop wandering within his irises. "You… you must rest," she whispered reluctantly.

"Are you leaving?" he asked quietly.

She did not give a verbal reply. Releasing his hand was enough. She rose and disentangled herself from him, smiling gently as he obligingly let go of her ebony locks. She hesitantly shifted past his legs and stood up, her knees still wobbly. She unconsciously stroked back her hair, glancing away nervously. "I… I mustn't be so selfish. Your wounds…"

"You weren't," he reassured her calmly, although he did not insist that she stay. Blushing again, she hid her face from his gaze and hurried out, fleeing from his presence as he stared at the sliding doors that clicked shut behind her. Her footsteps were quickly muted, and she disappeared from sight.

"Marina…" he murmured, his fingers unconsciously touching his palm, as if yearning to hold her hand once more. He slowly raised his bandaged arm, staring up at his hands, the hands that had caressed a princess's tresses.

_I have so many reasons to continue on my fight. I have more reasons than ever. Yet Marina Ismail, for so long, has struggled on in a different way I can't yet understand._

_Then in order to truly change… I must understand her_.

*

"Yo," called Lockon, waving a casual hand to Optimus as he descended to the hangar via an open elevator. "Just wanted to let you know: we'll be touching down in the land of the rising sun in an hour or so. I've always enjoyed authentic Japanese cuisine."

In his seated meditation posture, Prime raised his grave face as he looked at the sniper specialist. "Hello, Lyle. Are you alright?"

Lockon smiled uneasily. "What d'you mean? I'm fine."

"Your façade may fool your human compatriots. But not me." Prime's optics shone compassionately. "Ali al-Saachez is dead. The nemesis that murdered your family has fallen, and at the hands of an inconceivably powerful enemy: Starscream."

"Starscream?"

"Soran reported in a while ago. One of the strongest Decepticons the universe has ever seen has scanned Veda into his system and assimilated the body of a Gundam for himself. And from what Soran told me, the other Decepticons are extremely close to acquiring the benefits of a Gundam for themselves too: in particular, the solar power of the GN Drives and complete interfacing with Veda. Soran encountered him in person. He was lucky to survive."

Lockon smiled bitterly; both at Prime's discerning insight and at the news of yet another galactic villain reminiscent of the cartoons he used to watch when he was in boarding school. "There's no hiding anything from you, is there?"

"Starscream has stolen Aeolia Schenberg's finale of the human-Cybertronian dialogues: to allow the Autobots to assimilate bodies of Gundams, so that we may explore space alongside you with ever greater power. Naturally, my four comrades are furious at Starscream. And I must admit, it is foolish to deny the wickedness of his deeds. As such, he and his lackeys will prove to be truly fearsome foes. But he most certainly will not attack immediately. He will gather his strength, patiently planting agents and spies within the A-Laws and hiding himself amongst his enemies before finding an opportune time to strike and cripple the enemy in one blow." Prime's grimace was bitter. "But that reality has only strengthened my resolve to stop him… at all costs."

Lockon nodded, unsure of how to respond. Certainly, it was an almost inconceivably grand scheme. Therefore, the repercussions of its sabotage at the Decepticons' hands were, naturally, to be quite severe. Then he grimaced as he recalled Prime's news of Ali al-Saachez's death. "Well… I won't begrudge Setsuna for stealing a fight with that mercenary bastard's. But rest assured, I _will_ beat this screaming star fellow to a pulp. He stole my chance for vengeance." His eyes narrowed. "It was he, not Setsuna, who denied me my right to avenge my family. I won't let him off for that."

He suddenly shrugged, as if to mask the dissatisfaction and suffering within him. When he spoke again, his voice sounded much more natural, more in line with his usual personality. "But at least we can hide from the A-Laws for some time… and indulge in our almost nonexistent social lives, for once," he said, trying to lighten the mood between them.

Prime blinked. "Social lives?"

"I have a date," smiled Lockon proudly, pleased that it was now Prime who was out of the loop. "With Miss Anew Returner. I'll be taking her around Tokyo once we touchdown. I think Allelujah has a little appointment with Marie, Ian and Linda likewise. But Setsuna…" He scratched his head. "I actually don't know what he's up to. Maybe I should ask him later."

"Dates seem to be a common interfacing procedure between developing and developed humans," stated Prime, frankly and innocently. "Long before you were born, Sam Witwicky often mentioned of his own happiness with a certain Mikaela Banes." He lowered his head. "But that was three centuries ago."

"Not to worry," smirked Lockon. "Japan is a darling country, if I say so myself. Sumeragi hides it, but she's a vulnerable girl at heart. I'd suggest you think of something to please her with before we're forced into our usual schedule of iron and blood again. You'd better be careful if you're heading into urban areas, what with the world hating us and other inconveniences like that. But the upper regions of Mount Fuji shouldn't be much trouble. At the very least, you won't run out of crevices and woodlands to hide." He nodded up at the blue, red and silver titan. "Everyone's going to be enjoying a day out. What about you? Come now, even a little picnic will do. For her sake."

Prime glanced around the quiet hangar bay for several seconds, before lowering his head cautiously to meet Lockon's amused gaze. For some reason or another, the Meister had momentarily forgotten the looming threat of Starscream and the bitterness of vengeance denied. Perhaps that was an ideal consideration. He would not want to fight for the same reasons as his brother, after all. Neil had trod one path. He would walk another. It was as simple as that. The more different and dissimilar, the better.

And besides, Prime's anxious expression was absolutely _priceless_.

"But we can't picnic together. I cannot eat!" whispered the Autobot commander.


	14. Chapter 13: Communion in Solitude

A/N: After some planning, I thought it was a good idea to bring a few more characters (any characters, really) to this story. I've included a brief tribute in here to a fellow writer's favourite fanfiction couple (Flora from Claymore and Vincent from Final Fantasy). I've given them specific roles to include them as part of the TF 00 universe, keeping the story focused on Setsuna and company.

I hope you enjoy the chapter. ^o^

**Chapter 13: Communion in Solitude**

It had only been a week since Setsuna's sudden but evocative encounter with the princess of Azadistan. But despite the comfort they naturally found in each other's eyes, she had fled before he could reach out for her, to pull her closer into the warmth of his arms. An inexperienced woman herself, Marina could not yet confess that she had so willingly given her heart to the pilot eight years her junior. She might have found him a rather interesting outcome of Celestial Being as early as when he first snuck into her palace bedroom in the dead of night, only to engage her in a rather dry debate on the nature of war. But like his new quantum capabilities and his affinity with 00 Gundam and Optimus Prime, their relationship was also changing. It was transforming into a spiritual bond that simultaneously craved physical intimacy. They burned with the desire to guide each other's journey on the path of peace, but their silent, mutual demands to touch and be touched could no longer be ignored.

And perhaps that was what dumbfounded Meister and princess alike.

So it had come as an unpleasant dilemma when Feldt invited Setsuna out to lunch two days after their touchdown on Mount Fuji. He had surprised himself by consenting quite docilely, and even going so far as to suggest a location for their date: Shibuya, one of Tokyo's most famous centres of fashion and nightlife.

A date between comrades. That was all it meant.

Still, in many ways, his current circumstances felt even more bizarre than his mysterious, psionic connection with 00 Gundam and Optimus Prime. How long had it been since he had talked to a woman without pretending to be someone else, without maintaining the necessary façade of a civilian? How long had it been since he gathered the courage and desire to caress someone like Marina? Was he changing in more ways than one? Did he owe it to 00 Gundam at all? Or was it more so within his own core?

The shadow of Starscream's revelations had troubled him even this day, as he forced himself from his frugal bed and entered the shower, slowly unwinding the bandage around his bicep. His wounds had largely healed, although he opted to keep a close eye on the scar near his abdomen. After several minutes of unthinking bathing, he whisked his towel from the metal rack and dried his thin, naked body, his eyes reflective as he dwelled on the new form the Decepticon had assumed upon their first encounter. "Nergal Gundam…" he murmured. "They understand everything about their new configurations… are the Decepticons that adept with Veda already?" How long had it been since they planted their agent within the Innovators' headquarters? How had they even known where to look? Such information was still unknown to Celestial Being, and it was highly unlikely they would know anytime soon. Was it located on Earth? In an asteroid? Or perhaps it was a planetary body of its own?

_Concentrate_, he chastised himself silently. _Discard all your other worries and focus. _

_Focus on your date_.

Jeans, a white shirt, and a navy blue coat. And sunglasses, for the added purpose of disguise. He made a note to advise Feldt of doing the same thing. Slipping on his socks and shoes, he made his way to his desk and dialled Feldt's unit number. She picked up almost immediately. "Setsuna?"

"We'll catch a lift from Bumblebee to Tokyo, but he can't stay with us," he said. "Let's meet in the repair bay. He'll be waiting for us there."

"S… sure."

_She must have prepared herself earlier than me_, he noted. He made his way out of the east wing of the spaceship, walking slowly and deliberately until he came to the repair bay. Pressing his finger against the digital lock, he waited for the security drone to acknowledge him. He would have to thank Bumblebee later. He didn't expect him to go out of his way to help him with this rather unusual day. Such a favour was at great personal risk, for the Autobots were now officially outlawed as extraterrestrial invaders. Even with their disguises, they would not manage to sneak into civilian sectors thanks to the military land vehicles they had scanned through the first skirmish against the A-Laws. He took a deep breath as the door slid open and his eyes fell upon the alternate humvee mode of the Autobot… and the young belle that stood beside it, waiting for him. She was gorgeously dressed, her one-piece chemise and skirt decorated with pleasing floral patterns. She had drawn her hair together in a curly ponytail, and her large eyes reflected a side rarely seen during her younger years – a pleasure and fearlessness in the company of those close to her.

He blinked, adjusting his white collar. "It's rare to see you in a dress like that." He stopped himself, noting that there was no need to hold back. "What I mean to say is… it's beautiful."

Feldt smiled bashfully, looking down at her own outfit, at her bright fabric and her slim, sandalled legs. "Thank you, Setsuna."

As if to drop Setsuna a hint, Bumblebee revved his alternate mode's engine. The humvee roared to life, preparing to drive the two humans to Tokyo. Setsuna followed Feldt into the back seats, muttering a grateful acknowledgment to Bumblebee as he strapped on his seat belt.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't forget those black tresses.

*

It was raining.

Lockon casually raised a tall umbrella and released a black canopy above a shivering Anew Returner, sheltering them from the unexpected Japanese rain. He had hoped to enjoy a longer day with the new crewmember by calling her out relatively in the morning. It was apparent that such a consideration did not help in the face of such random weather patterns. Although he had prepared for such occurrences upon his arrival in the island nation, it was a pity that the beautiful and cosmopolitan skyline now resembled Dublin – a city that he was certainly fed up and over with. Running past east exit of Shinjuku station, the twosome hurried past the raincoated crowds and past the families, friends and lovers that huddled close in the wake of the morning shower. Lights glimmered around the tourists as their booted feet splashed across the puddles on the metropolitan crossing. They took refuge underneath the roof of a local coffee shop for several minutes, regaining their breath and laughing at the irony of their misfortunes. But luck was on their side. The clouds were struggling to offer much more, and soon, the rainfall had been reduced to a light patter, before dying away completely.

"Look. It's a green light," said Anew, pointing towards the crossing. She glanced at him. "Aren't we going, Lyle?" She blinked in surprise as he held out a cardboard, patterned cup of steaming hot cappuccino. "How did you get that so quickly?"

"Magic," he smirked, releasing the cup as she received it into her chilly hands. She took a demure sip as he stood back, watching the crowds returning to the business of their daily hurly-burly. Trenchcoats, raincoats, jackets, fashionable high heels and handbags… He and Anew possessed none of that. They wore outfits markedly similar to their Celestial Being garments, although their coats obviously did not bear an emblazoned symbol of the world's most hated organization. He shifted towards her, lending his bodily warmth to her as they observed together the brightening sky. "My, my. We can't let a little rain spoil a beautiful day like this, can we?" he said.

She shuffled her feet as she continued to savour her drink's aroma. "Thanks to you, I won't be able to concentrate on my engineering when we get back," she chastised in jest.

He sighed, bringing his arm around her shoulder and pulling her closer. She blinked in surprise as he playfully whisked away her cappuccino and placed it aside on a bench. "For once, let's not talk about the Ptolemaios," he suggested, almost pleadingly. He lowered his face, gazing at her luscious mouth, her somewhat parted lips. "There's more interesting things about you than your work. Like your… expertise."

"My expertise? Do you mean my expertise in engineering… or my skill in cooking?" asked Anew playfully, closing her eyes submissively as his teasing finger nudged her smooth cheek. "Why are you so curious, Lyle? Do you want to find out? Perhaps you want us to exchange secrets."

"Oh," mock-exclaimed the Gundam Meister. "Now I'm impressed by your detective skills, as well. But of course we'll exchange secrets. We can even keep this whole affair shushed up, if that's your preference."

"A secret sweetheart… that sounds typical of you." She turned away, avoiding his deep gaze as he cupped her face completely. "I daresay I've begun to understand you… in one way or another."

He could not resist a chuckle. "And what do you think of the man you've understood so far?"

Anew blushed, blinking away raindrops from her eyelashes. "I… I like what I've seen very much, Lyle."

He took her arm, and she looked up at him, half-nervously, half-hopefully. His friendly grin grew wider, more unreserved as he stared into crimson irises. Her hands found his broad chest, and he raised his umbrella higher as he pulled her against him.

"Anew."

Drenched in the invigorating dew of the cool morning, their kiss warmed their otherwise cold lips.

*

Bumblebee had withdrawn back to Mount Fuji to avoid unnecessary risk once he had dropped Setsuna and Feldt at the outskirts of Shibuya Prefecture. To Setsuna's chagrin, however, he had forgotten the map (a rather boastful tourist's version) he had scanned for this very day. Four years had done much to wash away his technical memories of life as an undercover agent. Feldt had urged him to ask for directions to the main hub of the district, but he flatly refused to depend on a stranger so quickly. His excuse, to Feldt's slight amusement, was something along the lines of, "Gundam Meisters run a huge risk in asking for help from civilians."

_What risk? Your masculinity_?

She felt almost relaxed enough to tease Setsuna's stoic but silly determination to find his way around the city. But by unnerving coincidence, as they moved to cross a road to reach the underground station to Shibuya Station, a black family car unexpectedly pulled over before them, its automatic window lowering and revealing a beautiful blonde and a narrow-eyed man with short but flowing black hair at the wheel. She was dressed in a professional but unabashed black top and grey chemise, with a matching short skirt and high heels accompanying her attire. Her dark, forbidding partner was garbed in an immaculate, raven business suit with a crisp necktie, and he did not look at Feldt as the blonde peered out of her window. "I'm sorry if we seem suspicious. You seem to be first-time tourists," observed the youthful, buxom woman with a hint of wry sympathy. She removed her slim sunglasses, revealing unusual silver eyes that reflected the younger couple clearly. "May we give you a lift?"

Setsuna fell into a sullen silence, but Feldt was quick to accept. She pinched Setsuna's arm reproachfully and forced him to follow her lead. The ebony-haired, pale man silently nodded for them to climb on, and Feldt gently took the Kurdish man's hand and eased herself into the back seat of the comfortable, air-conditioned family car. "If you're newcomers to Shibuya, I suspect you're hoping to get to Hachikō Square," prompted the woman.

"Yes, we are," said Feldt. "I'm sorry for the trouble. My name is Feldt Grace, and this is Kamal Majirif. You're completely correct – we _are_ first-time tourists."

Setsuna paused in surprise. _She knows that I prepared an alias_?

"We haven't introduced ourselves – how impolite of me. My name is Flora, and this is my husband, Vincent." In the frontal passenger's seat, the belle nodded and smiled at her silent spouse, who continued driving. "The two of you are students?"

"Yes. Kamal's from Afghanistan, and I'm from England," said Feldt quickly, as Vincent turned right towards a main street. Buildings and local shops sped past them as he accelerated, passing by several less impressive automobiles. Another turn, and they were soon approaching the more famous areas of Shibuya. Feldt only regretted that Bumblebee had no choice but to avoid these populated sectors. "What about you? Where do you work?"

"My husband and I are employed in international diplomacy and peacekeeping for the Federation." At Flora's unexpected reply, Setsuna suddenly raised his head, his attention sharpened as she continued to speak. "We're stationed here for the next few weeks. We have our hands full with settling people's grievances with the Autonomous Robotic Organisms."

"You – you mean Autobots?" blurted Setsuna.

"Yes."

"What could the Autobots possibly be guilty of?" asked Setsuna. To a stranger, his tone and accent would have sounded perfectly calm and innocently, but Feldt had known him long enough to detect the muffled indignation and anger in his voice. She looked at him worriedly.

Luckily, Flora was amongst those strangers. She placed a slender hand to her chin. "I suppose much of it is classified material, but I cannot help shaking off the suspicion that…" Her silver eyes shone. "That so many of the reports are unfounded, built on shaky evidence, if at all. I even have some doubt in regards to the accuracy of the reports on the Autobots' apparent attack on the Orbital Elevator." She blinked, and laughed softly. "But surely I must sound quite mad. The global consensus is that the Autobots are war criminals and on a level comparable to that of Celestial Being."

"When you find yourself in the majority, it's time to stop and think," said Setsuna at once, and Feldt had to restrain herself from lunging and covering his mouth with her hands. Vincent looked up into his rear-view mirror, his dark, sharp eyes observing Setsuna closely. The latter fell into silence, waiting for him to speak – but to his suspicion, he remained quiet, focusing his attention on the wheel. Flora blinked in surprise at Setsuna's sudden outburst before giving him a serene smile.

"You seem wise beyond your years, Mr. Majirif."

They travelled in silence for the remaining ten minutes of the journey. Eventually, the familiar sights of Shibuya Station and Hachikō Square came into view. Vincent switched gears, and the car stopped before several large crowds that stood waiting for their dates and appointments around the renovated statue of the legendary dog Hachikō. Three hundred years had changed nothing. Throngs of young people still flooded the avenues and sidewalks, filtering in and out of cafes, fashion boutiques and convenience stores. News broadcasts and advertisements were being screened on two of the giant televisions across from Shibuya's famous scramble crossing, and dozens of busy commuters and dwellers had already surrounded Vincent's car. He could not stay parked for long. "We're here," said Flora, looking back past her seat and smiling at Setsuna and Feldt. "It was very nice meeting you. With a dash of luck, perhaps we'll see each other again someday."

"Thank you so much for your kindness," said Feldt nervously. She stepped out of the car and onto the pavement, and Setsuna followed. "Have a wonderful day."

"Thank you," said Setsuna, and Vincent returned his gratitude with a curt tilt of his head. Flora waved, and the sleek car revved and shot away in a burst of clean, crisp solar power. As the sights, scents and sounds of Shibuya hurled themselves on them, Setsuna and Feldt glanced at each other for several silent moments as the hustle and bustle continued, before the pink-haired woman released a quiet sigh of relief.

"Those two were Federation agents," she breathed. "I'm amazed we managed to hitch a ride with them. But they seemed like very nice people."

"That woman's suspicions… could mean that some within the Federation don't believe the lies of the A-Laws. It could work to Optimus Prime's favour," observed Setsuna quietly. He turned to her, his face almost hilariously serious. "But as long as they don't find anything suspicious about us, we should be fine. Now, hurry. We must go find somewhere to eat."

Feldt smiled at his abrupt manner of conversation. This peerless pilot, martial artist and marksman was, after all, inexperienced in many other ways. "This isn't an assignment from Ma'am Sumeragi, you know," she pointed out softly, reminding him of something he barely knew. He blinked, and slumped in slight awkwardness. She nudged him forward with a playful knuckle against his back, and he obeyed, moving towards a rather expensive looking avenue of restaurants, pizzerias, ice-cream parlours and cafés. "You're going to forget about our work for once, Setsuna, and it'd be nice if you learned how to do it with me."

_After all, I also need to learn_, she observed silently to herself.

*

_Shiraito Falls. Fujinomiya, Shizuoka Prefecture _

The flowers were blooming.

Sumeragi laid down a plaid sheet on the grass, glancing to her side as Prime wandered off to watch the seasonal trees. She had brought him here, and like an awestruck toddler, he had lost himself in the organic beauty of the Japanese woodlands and groves, which welcomed him most hospitably. "Beautiful," he whispered respectfully, bending down to observe the tree that offered up its flora to the sentinel. "Such biotic art… never have I seen such delicate splendour on Cybertron."

"I can't guarantee your safety if you venture out with me like this. You're lucky the people here are apathetic to Federation policy." He smiled at her warning and nodded, patiently tolerating the families of little birds that flew onto his shoulders to sing, twittering comfortably and joyfully as they perched on the Autobot like a tall, unruffled tree. Unlike Setsuna and Feldt, who had ventured off to Shibuya, or Lockon and Anew, who had arrived at Shinjuku in the morning, Sumeragi had been forced to take Prime to a secluded naturescape so he could escape human eyes – at least, eyes that might have belonged to those serving the Federation. Luckily, the current time of year happened to be an unpopular time for tourists, and at the very least, she could allow the Autobots to roam free on Japan's most revered volcano, Mount Fuji, for a day until Ian had completely repaired 00. She trusted that Ironhide and Ratchet (but perhaps not Bumblebee) would stay out of sectors prone to backpacker activity, and the sour Jetfire had refused to leave Ptolemaios altogether. All the more power to him – that was one less Autobot to worry about.

But what was she supposed to do with this one?

Having discarded her Celestial Being uniform in favour of a more casual, yellow blouse, Sumeragi could not help smiling to herself as she opened the picnic basket she had borrowed from Linda. Prime's feathered friends flapped their wings to balance themselves as he turned around from the trees. "Why are you amused?" he asked curiously, oblivious to a sparrow that pecked at his metal inquisitively.

She shook her head, nibbling at her soft piece cake and doing her best not to appear so captivated as she stripped off her sandals. "If you ever turned into a human being through some miracle… I could just imagine you drinking coffee by a Parisian café with a canvas by your tableside, looking out for beautiful scenery and women to sketch."

He looked at her, slightly deflated. "At least then, I would not need to avoid the creatures I swore to protect."

She laughed, this time more sadly. She felt rather childish about the whole affair. Practically speaking, she was having a picnic on her own; there was no one to share her food with – the sandwiches, the sponge cake, and the apple juice – he could never share the warmth of the human hearth and home with her, not because he did not desire to, but because he was incapable of the very act of eating. He was not human. He had no heart, but a spark. It was, in many ways, an absurdity. Why they had both agreed to spend a day like this together was beyond her.

"Leesa," he called. Jolted out of her eddy of thoughts, she let out a small squeak as he moved towards her. She looked up at him, setting aside the cake on her paper plate. The branches of the green canopy rustled eagerly in anticipation, and the nearby waterfall gushed expectantly. But it was what he did next that truly took her aback.

He lowered his hand, offering her a floret he had plucked from a tall tree. "For you," he said plainly, like a child presenting a prized toy to a loved one. He fell silent and waited as she stared at him, and then to the tiny petals in his large hand, and then back at him again. She could hardly believe it, as fantastic as the Transformers already were. That he could hold such a puny, infinitesimal thing of life and control his metal bulk from crushing it was already startling. That he could cradle with such expertise a helpless little organic stem hugged by frail petals was almost implausible. But as if it was not enough, one more thing amazed her, and that was the scope and extent of his love. Was there no end to the surprises he boasted of?

"Remove your faceplate," she murmured suddenly, rising from her mat on her bare feet.

He obediently separated and withdrew the segments of his faceplate to the sides of his helm, revealing his peculiar, thick, robot lips.

She nodded in satisfaction. "Now, pick me up."

He complied, gently taking hold of her soft, slender body and lifting her to his optic level. The birds twittered eagerly and flew off his shoulder, as if recognizing the privacy and intimacy between the two commanders. She spoke again, and the forest quietened itself. "Allelujah Haptism once told me how determined he was to reunite with Marie Parfacy, the girl he loved. I told him I envied him because at that time, I was a drunken wreck, with no reason to fight for a new world at all. I was behaving childishly, jealous that my boys – my Meisters – had matured beyond what _I _could ever hope for."

"Yet here you are, as mature as any human can be," he encouraged.

"I owe it to you, Optimus. Don't you see? I haven't forgotten what you said to me when you cradled me in the sacred desert of Egypt: that understanding one another is the greatest happiness two sentient beings can share." She smiled, her cheeks pink and her olive irises sparkling. "I realize that truth whenever you bless me with your company. I now know the reason for my struggle, for all the battles I've fought and will fight. I can finally look Allelujah in the eye and tell him what I've regained, with pride and gratitude. And my reason is you."

"Sweet girl, I do not deserve – "

To silence him, she drew closer and planted a soft, chaste kiss on the centre of his metal mouth, where he had exposed his more vulnerable facial region. His optic sensors widened at the organic contact, but she didn't even shy back. "If only I could protect you from the worst of humanity while giving you the best we can offer," she whispered, refusing to release him.

It was an innocent kiss, a kiss of surrender and trust and love. A kiss of friendship. It was a kiss that melted his spark as he clasped her closer and murmured his gratitude.

"You already have."

*

They spent lunchtime at a comfortable, air-conditioned café, where he ordered a club sandwich for himself and a strawberry parfait for Feldt. In addition to that, she chose to indulge herself (somewhat guiltily) in a blueberry and cream crepe, and to her relief, the rich food did not mute their conversation as they exchanged quiet words over their younger days and their friendships with the other members of Ptolemaios… from those that had survived through the years of war, to those that hadn't. They had both endured much grief and personal loss. Feldt's parents had been tragically stolen from her at an early age, whilst Setsuna's childhood had been sacrificed to Ali al-Saachez's exploitation and the religious fanatics that perpetuated the cycle of violence. Four years ago, they had lost three people dear to their hearts: Christina, Lichty, and the first Lockon Stratos, Neil Dylandy. He fulfilled the role of an older brother to the Gundam Meisters, and his death had dealt a particularly traumatic blow to Feldt. It had been most difficult to move on, but Neil himself would have disapproved of clinging onto the past.

"_Change. Change in place of people like me, who couldn't change_."

The topic of Lichty and Christina should have been enough to send Feldt into tears, but today was different. Certainly, there had been much blood shed four years ago. But she and Setsuna had both grown stronger. They no longer wept for Neil Dylandy, but remembered him as the Meister he deserved to be commemorated as – if not by anyone else, at least by Celestial Being.

To his own surprise, Setsuna's lips began to curl upwards ever so slightly as he bit into another portion of his sandwich, chewing quietly. Feldt blinked in surprise as she scooped up a spoon of whipped cream. "What's so amusing?" she asked, licking delicately at the dessert. Her jade eyes caught his drawn out gaze, and he quickly looked out the window beside him, staring at the young adults and teens that walked by the busy street.

"It's not amusement," he corrected her. "It's… something more. Do you remember when you first sent Neil Dylandy a letter to outer space?"

She blinked in surprise. "You remember our conversation when I went to Dynames…?"

"Yes." He set down his meal and looked back at her. "I also remember that you asked me if I had anyone to send a letter to."

She blushed. "You said 'no,' and I replied that it must have felt so lonely. I sometimes cringe when I remember how frank I could be."

"I still think about that question from time to time. And while I haven't found a definite answer, I'd say I'd like to send you and Marina Ismail a letter each," he decided, openly and honestly.

Despite her evident, silent pleasure, she shifted nervously. "I… wonder if I'm going to suffer Princess Ismail's ire because of that."

"She and I don't have that kind of – "

He paused, reprimanding himself silently. Had he forgotten already? Had he already forgotten the silken, cosy touch of her skin and hair? Marina's last visit to him had changed everything. In actual fact, he wondered what he would say on the next occasion they met. It would certainly be foolish to carry on as if nothing significant had passed between them. So he could not be dishonest. He had to acknowledge his emotions. Otherwise, he could never rise above it and change for the better.

Pleased, she shyly edged closer to him, sidling her body over the table. Setsuna didn't speak, but his thoughts were still troubled by the insectoid face of Starscream as she timidly rested her hand over his. He fell silent, looking away. He was glad for his darker, tanned skin. Then the smiling Feldt wouldn't see his blush. "I suppose if you were to ask me that question again as I am now, that would be my answer.

"That if I left Earth to travel in space, I'd… like to write you both a letter."

*

_Night_

Everyone had returned to Ptolemaios, and the crew would be lifting off from Mount Fuji in an hour or so to leave Earth again. While this particular day had provided much-needed rest, the call to duty was as strong as the pull of gravity itself. The return to space was imminent. Veda had to be recovered. The Innovators had to be stopped, and the imminent Decepticon invasion resisted. The distorted dialogues had to be rectified.

The halls of the spaceship were quiet, and only the command room was lively with activity. Optimus Prime had returned to the hangar bay, where his troops lounged about as usual. But there was something… even closer about the Cybertronians and humans after the day's events. The bond between them had reached new heights since Operation Lifebringer, and the strengthened camaraderie between the Autobots and the humans of Ptolemaios felt encouraging indeed.

There was only one portion Setsuna had left undone.

Marina hadn't locked the sliding doors to her bedroom with any manner of encryption code or identification. He wasn't surprised as he entered, his shoes tapping the metal floor noiselessly. Despite having been repeatedly betrayed by the governments of other countries, by antagonists in Azadistan itself, and being seized by the A-Laws and locked up like a stray dog… her heart remained so very pure, so trusting and unquestioning of those that promised her friendship. Perhaps those disillusioning experiences had enlightened her of her heart's innocence, but that didn't leave her cynical or hateful at all… merely wiser. Perhaps that emergent wisdom was what really fascinated him.

Still in his urban outfit, he glided into the darkness silently, like a protective shadow, towards the small bed on which she lay, breathing quietly and inconspicuously. Even in slumber, she maintained the demeanour of a princess, despite her true desire to be a humble but joyful musician. How did an aspiring piano player _really_ end up as a troubled and isolated ruler of a struggling, war-torn nation? He did not truly know. In many ways, he wished the new world would relieve him of his need to know.

Underneath a thin blanket, she wore a thin, unpretentiously alluring white nightdress through which he could glimpse her rich, Persian complexion. He carefully seated himself beside her reclining form, returning the company she had given him and adjusting the blanket over her slender, bare legs to keep her bosom and willowy arms warm. And then, he simply gazed down at her, unsure of what to do. Perhaps there was nothing _to_ do. Perhaps there wasn't even anything to say.

"Where have you been?" she mumbled, her voice soft with sleep. He tried to hide his surprise as she opened her cobalt eyes and looked up at him. She didn't bother to cover herself further – in fact, she nudged her blanket aside, permitting him to look upon her creamy, curvaceous body in its entirety. She did not stop him from glancing at her arresting, elegant physique for several moments before speaking again to reclaim his attention. "I… I hoped to play you the new song the children wrote. Were you not on the ship today?"

Their eyes kissed.

"I left for Tokyo with Feldt," he whispered apologetically, tentatively shifting to touch her forehead. Compelled by some tender instinct within him, he slowly stroked back her locks, and her eyes shut loosely in contentment. "You weren't supposed to notice me here. I'm sorry I awoke you."

She shook her head slowly, her lustrous raven hair draped across the pillow. She didn't need to ask him about the wounds Ali al-Saachez and Starscream had inflicted. She could tell, by his voice and by his hands, that he no longer felt any pain. "I am grateful you came," she replied, with a vaguely lonely sigh.

He lifted his hand away briefly, but relented when she opened her eyes, and he saw the slight disappointment reflected in her soulful irises. He returned to touch her, and several moments passed in silence as his caresses glided over her face. She moaned quietly in pleasure and quickly hushed herself in embarrassment. But his stalwart, affirming expression did not falter as his fingers trailed along her cheekbone. "Don't be afraid," he whispered earnestly, and although his voice was almost inaudible, the sheer conviction within it was enough to elicit a hot, devoted blush from her.

"Miss Grace is a good lady," she offered sincerely, as she reached up and clasped his hand.

"She thinks likewise of you," said Setsuna. "She always addresses you by your rank."

Her kindly, amused expression was all the inspiration he needed. It was his turn this time to draw down, inching closer towards her enraptured expression until her breathing warmed his face and animated his tired body with life.

"Please… Setsuna. May I know… what _your_ feelings are of me?" she mumbled.

"I've already said… don't be afraid," he implored. "I don't want you to feel frightened or hurt anymore."

Her grip suddenly tightened around his palm, squeezing it with a desperate urgency. He took the princess's cue and closed his eyes, somewhat nervously. Slowly, he pressed his lips around her mouth for the very first time in a silent, humble kiss. The contact was hot, velvety, almost ticklish in its beguiling unfamiliarity. Oh, the privilege she had granted him, and the affirmation he had bestowed upon her…! She released a sharp breath of delight as their exchange deepened and as he tugged curiously at her wispy nightdress. Her hand scrabbled briefly at his chest before finding his shirt, pulling him onto her and into a warm, womanly, arousing embrace. Her eyes fluttered close once more, appreciative of his anxiety and his thumping heartbeat – for she had been so very afraid, too. No matter how firmly they entangled themselves amongst each other on her bed, no matter how beautiful she looked to him, she still worried, worried herself sick over nothing. Such was the guilelessness of the Azadistani royal, who moaned helplessly in the darkness of her room as her new, younger lover brushed his mouth over her flushed lips again and again, before discovering the repository of pleasure that was her smooth, lovely neck. Wrapping her uncovered legs around him protectively, she began to gasp her praise and confess her fascination, and he simply nodded in surrender, quite preoccupied with finding more of her treasures to kiss.

Throughout his childhood, he had scorned human emotions for the beatific vision of God. But his journey of violence resulted in nothing save the worst humanity could wreak upon the universe: malignant hatred, treacherous falsehood, and psychopathic self-destruction. No more. No longer did he shy away from the warmth and affection he had disregarded so unjustly. As he and Marina nestled in each other's arms, he silently swore that he would change for all the dialogues, in all their possibilities. He was changing for her. He was changing for humanity and for the Transformers. He was changing for Earth, and for Cybertron.

Even in love, he still yearned for the new aeon.

*

Anew Returner was troubled. Having taken off her shoes and her coat, she sat nervously at the edge of Lockon's bed in his small but cosy room. Her new boyfriend had entered the shower, and she impatiently waited for him to return with his fragrant scent, with his warmth and strong arms. But why had she been unable to answer him for so long? His questions about her family and her past… why did her head ache every time she attempted to recall her origins? Wild thoughts plagued her – perhaps she was an amnesiac. Or she may have suffered some sort of damage to her brain, to some lobe within.

What was happening to her?

She moved a slender hand to rub her forehead, closing her eyes regretfully. She felt fortunate that Lyle hadn't finished cleaning himself. She didn't want him to witness her like this.

_He's tried to understand me, but I've given him nothing to work with. Trust must go both ways, girl_.

Suddenly her eyes opened, and her usually melodious voice turned robotic, stern, and gracefully cold. Her irises shone no longer with a crimson shade, but with the quintessential luminescent radiance of Innovator quantization. She spoke mechanically, logically, and emotionlessly, and it was not she, but another entity that uttered his words through her body and her vocal chords.

"The difference between Innovator and human is like that of Heaven and Earth. The foolish, unevolved worldlings must be subjugated under a guide in order for it to survive. Those resistant to this reality will pass away with the old age, supplanted by a new epoch without mortal tears. I will demonstrate this beyond doubt in the final struggle to topple Celestial Being. Once they face destruction from within its own ranks and an apocalyptic war from without… "

Three hundred and eighty four thousand kilometres away, in his private study on board his secret command centre, a quantizing Ribbons Almark smiled, his golden eyes rippling as he reclined on his sofa. "… Celestial Being will fade into history for the sake of the world's salvation."


	15. Chapter 14: Paradise Regained

**Chapter 14: Paradise Reclaimed**

Ptolemaios had moved beyond Earth's satellite ring, bursting out to embrace the distant stars and the benevolent light of the human world's sun. The planets were aligned perfectly, and the craters near the moon were in sight. The mood aboard the spacecraft was solemn. Feldt had received, just minutes ago, encrypted coordinates from an apparently wounded Wang Liu Mei. The first four words of her coded transmission had been: _Hong Long is dead_. To make matters worse, her location was unknown, along with her condition. Sumeragi was troubled. The billionaire heir refused to divulge what misfortune had occasioned her, but her last words seemed determined, almost desperate, for Celestial Being to follow the coordinates she had given.

_This should take priority over everything else, Celestial Being. Go, and create the new world that I've yearned for all these years. No matter what the cost_.

"I do hope you're alright," whispered the tactical forecaster to herself, momentarily considering sending out Setsuna on a rescue operation. But as it was now, there was an even greater prize at stake – Veda. For in her message, Wang Liu Mei had implicitly entreated Celestial Being not to come for her. For the coordinates on the screen… were crucial to determining the final destiny of the world. She glanced at Lockon, who stood beside her. "This could prove to be a breakthrough," she said, looking back down towards Anew, who had assumed an important role on the ship as its co-pilot. "It seems that the Innovators are hiding Veda behind the far side of the moon: Lagrange 2."

"I've confirmed that the A-Laws are giving away massive movements of many ships, most likely with Mobile Suits. It seems that they're surrounding the entire circumference of the moon," observed Feldt, staring intently down into her screen.

"Then it's obvious what they're trying to do," said Lasse triumphantly, grinning. "Let's hit them with our combined forces. I can send a message to Katharon now."

"Is a head-on attack wise, Ma'am?" asked Anew anxiously.

"Not exactly. But we need a considerable amount of strength if we're going to punch through to the moon's far side. Lagrange 2… that is where Veda is located, according to Wang Liu Mei's message. Where exactly it is housed within, I don't know. But we're going to retrieve at all costs. Lockon? Could you please notify Setsuna, Allelujah and Tieria? I'll need all the strength they can pool together, along with a fully charged Trans-Am system for all Gundams. I'll notify Optimus and his Autobots personally."

"You can rely on me, Ma'am. I suppose I should prepare myself and Cherudim as well. Poor Haro gets no rest," sighed Lockon, moving towards the exit.

"This is going to be a battle that will have a significant effect on the war," added Sumeragi, not looking back. "I'll need your courage and teamwork more than ever this time."

"Roger that, my fair lady," smiled Lockon, disappearing behind the sliding doors.

"Wait," called Anew suddenly, but Lockon had already departed from the room. She looked at Sumeragi sheepishly. "Ma'am, may I have permission to…?"

Sumeragi smiled, as if she understood her subordinate's intentions. "Yes. But do make it quick."

Anew blushed and rose from her seat, hurrying past a curious Lasse, Feldt and Mileina. She exited the command room and called out her sweetheart's name. "Lyle."

He hadn't gotten far down the sterile metal corridor, and he turned around. "Yeah?"

"Please be careful. Come back safe and sound, so you can enjoy my apple pie."

"Don't worry," smiled Lockon, grabbing the handrail and allowing himself to float towards her. "There's no way I'm getting blown up in a place like this. Especially when you have such a lovely meal waiting for me."

She smiled, although she could not hide the worry from her face. "We face a powerful enemy this time. The A-Laws have amassed a force of unprecedented numbers to destroy us. And Ma'am Sumeragi has told me all about the Decepticons. In all honesty, I fear that we could be overwhelmed by the many enemies we've made."

"So you mean all our other fights were cakewalks? My, my… you're quite the self-assured lass."

"One day," chastised Anew, although her eyes could not mask her fascination and amusement at his bravado, "it would do you well to care for your own life, if only to make me feel better. I wish you could understand that."

"Oh, trust me. We understand one another quite well. That's why I'm not going to hold back. I'm going to beat those Innovators to a pulp, and by the end of it all, I'll be the one standing in the ring with my fists raised." At her wide-eyed blush, he embraced her, kissing the tip of her upper lip. "You're a beautiful woman, Anew. Wait for me." He reluctantly but determinedly released her, and did not look back as he continued on his way to the Gundam bay hangar. She let out a soft sigh as she stared at his receding back, and only returned to her post once he had completely disappeared from sight.

"Anew Returner," came Setsuna's cool voice, and she let out a soft cry as she turned around in embarrassment. A large portion of the crew, unbeknownst to her, had emerged from the command room and the corridor beyond, catching her red-handed with her affection. Anew began to sputter out excuses, but the smiles on everyone's faces were enough to shoot down her feeble defences. Setsuna brushed past her, closing his unusually wise eyes. "I'm going to fight with him. But it's up to you to fulfil his deepest, most human needs," he observed, and she could only nod, blushing again.

"Congratulations," smiled Feldt, nodding at her before she and a giggling Mileina re-entered the control room, followed by a proud Sumeragi. Anew could only hurry after them so that she could avoid the benevolent gazes of Allelujah and Marie.

*

_Mission City had been reduced to bedlam as two ancient warriors struggled furiously for domination amidst its ruins. Prime had surprised Megatron by leaping up and tussling his alien jet mode in mid-air, a classic grappling manoeuvre. In retaliation, Megatron flung himself and Prime through two buildings, careening towards the ground and squashing another dozen or so humans under their massive bodies. Stained with fleshling gore, he struck the stunned Prime in the face, claws igniting sparks from the latter's faceplate. "Humans don't deserve to live," he bellowed insistently. _

"_They deserve to choose for themselves!" refuted Prime, roughly pushing Megatron back and struggling to break free from his grip. In order to match the Decepticon leader's brute strength, he had trained himself in the Cybertronian martial arts for thousands of years: his fighting technique was a harmony of swordplay, unarmed combat and marksmanship that had enabled him to best the colossal Bonecrusher with ease. But when all was said and done, he was not a war machine – he was a scientist, a thinker, and the civilian leader of the Transformers. Such was the monstrous imbalance of physical power between the brothers. _

_Roaring, Megatron overcame Prime and hurled him away across the corpse-littered traffic intersection. "Then you will die – with them!" he shrieked. Prime sprawled along the road painfully, and as he recovered, Megatron spread his arms and clasped them together. Eerie silver metal extended from his serrated hands, coming together to form his most fearsome weapon – the mythic fusion cannon that had decimated planets. _

"_JOIN THEM IN EXTINCTION!"_

_Prime scrambled up and drew his ion blaster, firing a defiant shot against his brother. The yellow beam smashed into Megatron's extended barrel and unbalanced him, sending him off his back foot. Reeling and turning back, he unleashed his own charged attack, and the blue proton blast crushed Prime's chest, flinging him into another building. Smashing face-first against the bricks and windows before crashing to the ground, amongst fleeing humans, he groaned as Megatron turned to pursue Sam Witwicky, who had fled with the Allspark under the protection of the remaining Autobots. Having landed on his back, Prime weakly reached out for his nemesis and struggled to rise as his triumphant voice echoed in his head. "You still fight for the weak and that is why. You. Lose!"_

_He had fought on for so many thousands of years, but life was too fragile, too frail to withstand the cold metal of death. He moaned again, partly from his injuries but also from the sheer weariness of it all, the exhaustion of his burden, the fatigue of his millennia-long struggle to correct the mistakes of Cybertron. Oh, how he longed for reconciliation! That beautiful word… "Understanding." But there was no turning back. All that held any more meaning for him was to protect the small organic people that depended on the Autobots._

_Was there no other way to salvage what little was left of his heritage? Was there no other way to protect the dignity and freedom of sentient beings?_

"_Sam…"_

"… Hang on, Sam." Absorbed in deep meditation, Prime's optical sensors snapped open in astonishment. His hands momentarily clenched on his knees. Why had such painful memories welled up in his unconscious? Megatron's vile crimes and the deaths of so many humans… "Was I… talking to myself?" he mumbled, slightly disorientated. Reeling from the memories of the past, he shifted his gaze left and right, taking in his surroundings. His head lurched as he put a hand to his face, thoughtfully stroking the area where Sumeragi's lips had touched. _Is… is this what humans call a dream? A nightmare, perhaps. I've never experienced either before. _

_Why is it happening to me now_?

To his relief, nothing had changed. He was sitting in the hangar of Ptolemaios as he had done since its takeoff from Mount Fuji. At least two days had passed since his picnic with Sumeragi. It had been so very special an occasion for him. He wouldn't be surprised if the tactical forecaster had been adored by human males at some point or another. But he did not mind – she deserved it! How content he was to remain by her side, watching over her like the protective, warm sentinel that he was. But she hadn't been satisfied. All this time, she had requested him to pick her up, to hold her, to be honoured with her trust. And as if that wasn't enough… she had kissed him. She had evidently taken his words of understanding to heart. He should have been overjoyed. But why, in the midst of such happiness, had he suffered such a nightmare? A vision of that titanic struggle three centuries ago, when he prepared himself to make the ultimate sacrifice to deny Megatron the Allspark…

"Are you alright, Optimus?" came Setsuna F. Seiei's voice. Optimus looked down, and his worried face relaxed as he observed the Kurdish man in his blue pilot's suit and clutching his peculiar helmet. He was about to greet him when his optics suddenly scanned something unusual about him. His face… his _eyes_… they had lost their deep brown shade. Instead, they were… rippling. Within his irises were bizarre lines, undulating in a yellow-golden luminosity. "Soran… what is happening to you?" he breathed.

_I can communicate with you like this, Optimus_, echoed Setsuna's words in his metal head. Prime sighed in astonishment. Setsuna's lips did not even move, yet their bond was such that it didn't even need their voiceboxes. _I'm changing. Something from 00 has been altering me and allowing me to use quantum brainwaves. It might be the particles from the Twin Drives. It might even be the Cybertronian affinity for Veda and Earth's computer systems. But it might be… Innovation. Quantization and Innovation is Aeolia Schenberg's way of ensuring humans can genetically evolve and enter into dialogue with Cybertronians of advanced robotic capabilities. In the same way that Aeolia desires you to be united with Gundam, he desires humankind to be emissaries of flesh and metal alike_.

Prime politely reciprocated with his own telepathic reply, although he had little to say to the evolving bio-terminal. _My child_…

"Optimus. It looks like the humans are preparing to scramble," came Jetfire's grouchy voice. Emerging from the shadows, the larger and older Autobot lurched closer, clicking his massive head as he glanced down at Setsuna. "They'd like you to lead the defence of the ship while these kids unleash their mechanoid toys on the A-Laws."

Setsuna curtly turned to leave for 00 Gundam, and Prime did not stop him. He was too stunned for words, and promptly moved to assist Jetfire in the preliminary preparations for an offensive against the Federation-controlled moon.

*

Twenty-one ships, and over a hundred Mobile Suits: a vast armada amassed near the asteroid belt near the Moon's surface, led by Arthur Goodman and protected by the finest pilots under the Federation flag, including the licensed pilots, Healing Care and Revive Revival. Revive had prepared his newly upgraded Gadessa for a rough session – his objective was to find entry into the Ptolemaios whether by punching through with his GN Mega Launcher or by allowing himself to be captured. At this point, options were still open. It would depend on how Healing advanced with her re-assigned Garazzo. Once he was inside Ptolemaios, he would initiate Phase Two of Celestial Being's ultimate defeat – Anew's betrayal, and the capture of 00 Gundam.

He smiled. The endgame between the Innovators and Celestial Being was imminent. And the Autobots were caught between them, helplessly doomed to destruction as a war of galactic proportions began to unfold. "It seems that the enemy has decided to make the first move. They're not bad – admittedly, we do look rather suspicious by having deployed so many forces here," he said to Healing. "We will sortie later. Let the Regnant do most of the work. She will wear out the Gundams before we clean up the mess."

"Roger that. You hear that, sister?"

"Yes. I will not disappoint you, Captain Care," said Louise, looking into her screen darkly as the radar scanned four red dots approaching the Federation fleet. "They're here. Celestial Being…" She breathed heavily, considerably relieved that she had taken her medicine beforehand. "Officer Smirnov?"

"It's time," came Andrei's cool voice. "Let's go, Warrant Officer."

It had begun. 00 Raiser's signla was rapidly approaching their radar, followed by Cherudim, Arios and Seravee. Louise's eyes began to glow yellow, her Innovator capacities gradually but surely awakening. "This time… I'm going to end you all!"

*

Setsuna pressed a series of buttons on his control pad, opening up Saji's transmission window at the corner of the screen. "This is it, Saji Crossroad," he said. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," said Saji resolutely. "Listen, Setsuna… thank you for helping me."

"Louise Halevy will return to you," said Setsuna. "This I swear."

_I came to understand Optimus. I came to understand Marina and Feldt. Now I must help Louise understand Saji. I owe it to them both_.

He glanced up as an A-Laws Ahead approached them. "Even for people of your arrogance, you can't possibly think of defeating a force such as ours here!" cried Andrei Smirnov, as his Ahead charged with his lance. 00 Raiser smoothly evaded it and drew its own GN Swords. It parried a jab from the red spearhead, and soared past behind the Ahead, eluding a barrage from the latter's forearm cannon. Setsuna's eyes narrowed in concentration. He would deal with this assailant quickly –

"Setsuna! Watch out!" cried Saji.

"What?" gasped Setsuna, instinctively steering away from a massive laser stream that shot from the darkness. But to his shock, the sickly, yellow beam suddenly changed direction and pursued the retreating Gundam, smashing against its raised GN Shield and incinerating it completely. Setsuna's eyes widened as he forced 00 Raiser to release the burning shield. What class of particle cannon had the capability to achieve such a refined homing shot even by Celestial Being's standards?

"Warrant Officer! With your Regnant, let's flank and overwhelm them!" cried Andrei.

Amidst the asteroids emerged the blue-black colossus of a Mobile Armour with red lining across its frame, twice the size of a Gundam and twice as wide. Larger than any Mobile Suit Setsuna had fought, its sinister head seemed to be a development on the Ahead Smultron, and its joints gleamed threateningly as its limbs tautened.

_I cannot allow this to kill us here_, thought Setsuna doggedly.

"Go, Fangs!" screamed the voice of Louise Halevy, and ten sharp-ended pods of crimson detached from the Regnant's claws, shooting in a wide, encompassing arc towards 00 Raiser.

"Louise… it's really her." Saji clenched his teeth. No longer was he afraid. Only resolve was left. "Let's go, Setsuna!"

"Trans-Am!" roared Setsuna, and an endless stream of particles from his Twin Drives poured across the dark expanse. 00 Raiser swept and dashed away amidst the deadly red plasma that formed a matrix around it, threatening to consume it in a firestorm of crimson lights – until two of the sharp pods were suddenly blown into nothingness by a Gundam's sniper rifle.

"Lockon Stratos!" cried Saji.

"We'll provide support," roared the Irish pilot, deploying Cherudim's GN Rifle Bits in defensive mode. Five of the Regnant's Fangs turned their attention to the military-green Gundam, but four sturdy, remote-controlled plates of e-carbon shifted themselves, parrying shot after shot from the detached weapons, until Arios and Seravee were able to counterattack with a barrage of firepower from their GN Rifle and Buster Cannon respectively. The Fangs were consumed and crushed to space dust, and Seravee advanced, activating Trans-Am and entering Hyper Burst Mode. An orb of power larger than the Gundam itself gathered before the four cannons of Seravee, and as the particles completed their condensation, Tieria released the mighty ball of collected energy against the Regnant. But to his shock, a humongous GN Shield materialized around the unusually shaped Mobile Armour, its blood-red forcefield absorbing the Hyper Burst and leaving the Armour unharmed.

"It… it can neutralize my attack even in Trans-Am?!" gasped Tieria.

A pair of claws from within the Regnant suddenly shot towards Arios and Seravee, extending by an abnormal, deceptively fatal length. "What is this?!" cried Allelujah. "Trans-Am!" Directing their Mobile Suits in opposite directions, the Meisters only just managed to avoid the sinister grappling ropes of the Regnant thanks their augmented speed. Even so, they were shaken as Louise advanced, firing a hail of GN Missiles towards the red-tinted Gundams. Allelujah stared at the wires that pulled back the Mobile Armour's hands. "How could this be?"

The Regnant shifted, and slowly began to transform. Its claws extended again, revealing a pair of thick, massive arms disproportionate to the almost thin, spindly legs that were still larger than a Gundam's. Hardly humanoid, this Mobile Suit was one of monstrous proportions, its wings spreading out behind its tall shoulderplates. It rose, spreading its arms in a hateful challenge to the Gundams.

"You're done, Celestial Being!" screeched Louise.

Lockon swore quietly. "Are you seeing this, Autobots?" he asked over the comlink. "This Mobile Suit has everything!"

"I'm watching, Lyle," came Bumblebee's uncommonly serious tone. "And I don't like what I see."

"If you weren't here to distort the world – " roared Louise, her hands clenching around her gears. "If you didn't bring it upon yourselves to distort my life – "

"Louise!" cried Saji, as 00 Raiser raised its swords to support Arios. "Louise!"

Initially trusting in her imminent triumph over the Gundams with her new Mobile Armour and Suit, Louise now stopped in her tracks, unable to keep her surprise in check. "Saji…"

"Yes, it's me!" Saji and Setsuna shot around around her, but Setsuna had all but fallen silent. This was Saji's fight. And it was a fight he needed to finish. "Please, Louise. Do we really have to go through the same pain again? Let's just stop. There's no one who can deny us that right."

"But… but I have nothing left to live for…" she whispered, staring into her display screen, unable to avoid her high school sweetheart's loving gaze.

"Warrant Officer, don't hesitate!" roared Andrei, watching in frustration as his Spanish comrade unconsciously allowed 00 Raiser to fly circles around her and evade the Regnant's claws with ease. "Shoot the Gundam!"

"Louise!" repeated Saji, his eyes no longer afraid, reflecting nothing but determination. "Do you really want this to be our future? A future of forced peace where one must die for the other to live?"

"Officer Halevy!" bellowed Andrei insistently, aiming his lance towards 00 Raiser. _I doubt I can hit it while it's in Trans-Am, but I can try _–

"And out of nowhere!" proclaimed Lockon, as Cherudim spun into the sights of the A-Laws Ahead. Andrei gasped as his screen opened to display Lockon's smirking face. "You should have been more careful," chastised the Gundam Meister offhandedly. "First rule of the battlefield: pay attention to the combatants around you… _especially_ when they _lurve_ sniping from a distance."

Andrei glanced behind him, to the distant fleet that shielded Goodman's cruiser. "What – im… impossible!" he bellowed in realization. "Why – here – "

Cherudim drew closer before stopping for a brief split second. "Aim and fire!" cried Lockon, and his finger pressed the trigger victoriously as Haro chirped cheerfully. A direct shot from his GN Sniper Rifle shot towards the Ahead and blasted away its legs, before shooting directly for the very command room of General Arthur Goodman's flagship. The green shaft of fission energy cleanly hurtled past two other cruisers of lesser importance and smashed through five Aheads, before punching into the helm of the cruiser. A flash of light engulfed the flight deck, and the crew within began to panic, screaming and scrambling from their posts to find some route of escape. But it was far too late for that. "You – you – do something!" bawled the portly Goodman, rising from his own seat, his beady eyes wide in his final moments of terror. His dark-green astronaut's suit exploded along with his body as the ravenous sphere from Lockon's attack neatly destroyed the top of the A-Laws spacecraft. Its main body followed, and nearby Aheads fled as Goodman's ship imploded into namelessness, leaving only purple smoke and shards of metal debris floating in the sea of black.

Allelujah was stunned as he observed the ensuing chaos among the A-Laws defenders. "Lockon… you wanted to hit that target all along?"

Lockon raised his thumb in a salute. "Don't thank me, thank Ma'am Sumeragi. I'm just the messenger."

"Damn it to hell," spat Andrei. The legless Ahead floundered, and was completely incapacitated with another swipe from the Gundam's GN Sword, its two arms neatly severed from its shoulders. "Damn it!" he cried, inputting the commands for his escape pod to launch and fly towards the supporting A-Laws fleet. His curse only grew louder as he hastily retreated from the bedlam, defeated and humiliated. "This isn't the end, Celestial Being!"

Setsuna nodded. "And now all that remains is – !"

Louise moaned softly as Saji continued to reason with her, to beg her to give their happy past another chance. "Louise… by understanding each other… we can build a new future together."

Breathing heavily in exertion and desperate confusion, she pressed the button for the Regnant's feared particle cannon. Yet another yellow shaft of devastating power hurtled towards Arios, but before the beam could change direction, 00 Raiser slipped past its opponent's massive, clumsy claws and slashed at its leg, severing it in one blow. Circuits sputtered in the wake of a large explosion as a chunk of violet metal cleanly flew away from the Regnant. Arios easily weaved past the cannon attack and drew away. "Setsuna! Saji!" cried Allelujah.

_Listen to me, Louise. Listen to me, Saji_. The time had come. Setsuna began to quantize, and the symbol of the Autobots seeped into his consciousness. Struggling in her cockpit, Louise heaved in response, clutching her helmet from the saturation of GN Particles. A dimension of lustrous brilliance, totally unlike that of lonely space, opened before her as her quantization met with that of Setsuna's, along with the particles from 00 Raiser. Her eyes widened as she screamed, unable to drown out Setsuna's spirited voice.

"It's time to wake up. Louise Halevy!"

*

Louise looked around, blinking. It felt pleasantly warm, like her fireplace back home. She looked down. There was no ground supporting her bare feet, but she was comfortably rooted, yet utterly free to move. She was completely naked, although she didn't feel embarrassed in the slightest. How strange. "What… what is this place?" she wondered aloud.

What could have possibly made her feel so… unusually peaceful?

"Louise," echoed a boyish, diffident voice within the quantum realm. She gasped and turned around to see an equally exposed Saji Crossroad, his large brown eyes warm with affection and caring.

She looked away, heart thumping. He was… strikingly handsome in his state of undress. His muscles were not large, though they had grown noticeably – his shoulders were broader than she remembered. And his face was more mature, manlier, although their soft lines remained. His placidness had never left him, but he possessed a quiet poise that she had long forgotten during her troubled time in the A-Laws. "We're supposed to be fighting," she blurted. "Weren't we… supposed to be fighting?"

"No, we weren't. We're not supposed to hurt each other at all," he said calmly, walking towards her. She instinctively moved to draw her gun, but her fingers touched only bare skin. The quantum realm seemed limitless – if she were to run, where could she go? There was nothing for her to hide behind. No cockpit of a Mobile Suit, no display screen through which to scream her grief. If she was going to express her rage and righteous hate, she could do so to his face, here and now.

But she couldn't.

Saji fearlessly walked towards her, not even averting his eyes from her bareness, from her breasts and her curves. Perplexed, she looked at him somewhat shamefully. "What's with that look? You've never given me that expression before," he said unexpectedly, catching her attention.

"Wh… what?" she mumbled. "Why do you ask?"

"Because this isn't the Louise I know," he continued, his words echoing throughout the ethereal realm. "The Louise I know is an outgoing girl who knows what she wants and won't stop nagging until her demands are met. She's sometimes bossy, hotheaded, and even clumsy. But she's also good-humoured, straightforward, and honest. She's honest because she can't afford to be insincere…

"Because she really is quite lonely in this big world."

Louise's eyes were wide as she began to tremble. Saji promptly opened his arms and wrapped her within a warm embrace, their naked bodies pressing against one another's. The sensation of authentic human touch was exhilarating, invigorating – how long had it been since she felt his arms around her small shoulders! How long had it been since someone embraced her with the mild affection that was so typical of her Japanese-American boyfriend? Was that not why her heart yearned for him? Why had she been so foolish? Why had it taken so long for them to meet in space, for them to watch the Earth together in spacesuits while holding hands?

He closed his eyes empathetically as a tear leaked down her cheek. Her hands found his back, and slowly returned his cuddle. He smiled, crying silently as she let out an audible sob. "That's why I've brought you back. I've brought you back, so you'll never be alone. I'm always here, Louise. I'm always here, with you. Whether you know it or not…"

And then, just as suddenly, the quantum realm was gone, replaced by screeching metal, fizzling circuits and deafening explosions.

*

"It's time to wake up. Louise Halevy!" shouted Setsuna, although she could no longer hear him. "It's time for you to leave this life behind… for us all to be reborn!" He raised his two swords and neatly slashed apart the dark, sinister Mobile Suit, exposing the pilot's cockpit and revealing an unconscious Louise. Her eyes were closed, and her cheeks were wet with tears. Saji cried out her name again. As if prompted by his call, 00 Raiser quickly reached in and gently picked up her limp form, launching away as the formidable but incapacitated Regnant twitched and exploded into a fog of purple fumes that covered over a hundred yards.

"Good on you, Setsuna, and Saji," said Lockon, smiling. "Good on you."

Allelujah smiled, and Tieria nodded in approval.

"Retreat for now," came Sumeragi's voice. Her face opened up in a new window on Setsuna's display screen. "If you've retrieved a civilian, then it doesn't make sense to continue fighting, at least for now. Come back, Setsuna, everyone. Let's regroup and recover before our next sortie. Well done."

The Warrant Officer's limp form now lay sleeping in the hands of 00 Raiser. Setsuna gazed into his display screen, his voice a murmur as he observed the girl. "Saji Crossroad. What happens to Louise Halevy is now completely up to you."

"But is she alright, Setsuna?" came the Japanese-American's anxious voice.

"She's fine," replied Setsuna, allowing himself a faint smile of utter relief. His eyes slowly returned to their dark brown colour, and the Trans-Am system faded away as the Gundams flew towards the Ptolemaios's opening hatches.

"She's fine."

*

_Ptolemaios sick bay_

Setsuna and the others had left Louise alone with Saji. It was just as well. Saji had so desperately hoped to hold her in his arms. She had slept for almost an hour, before finally stirring in his embrace. Still in her A-Laws uniform, she slowly opened her beautiful, blue-green eyes. "Sa…ji…" she murmured, her pupils shifting to her left, to look at Saji, who cradled her tenderly.

His anxious face softened. "Louise…" he whispered gratefully. "You've come back to me."

"Saji…" she moaned, staring at the ring he had attached to his necklace… the ring he had bought for her four years ago. Despite her exhaustion, her eyes momentarily widened. What had she said then, when he excitedly presented it to her on her bed? What binding, simple truth had she mumbled to herself whilst locking away her grief and fear and confusion?

"_It's really pretty_."

She began to cry. Warm, salty teardrops were dashing against his chest, and he looked down closer in astonishment, meeting her loving, overjoyed gaze. "Saji," moaned Louise, sobbing. "It's really you. After all I did, all the poison I spewed from my mouth, after I almost _killed_ you and Setsuna – "

"I love you," said Saji at once, enfolding her tighter in his strong arms. "My feelings for you haven't changed after these four years. I understand you. That's why I'll always be here, no matter what you've done. We're in space together now. Isn't that good enough? That's where we promised each other we would meet… and now we have. So, rest. You don't have to say anything at all."

She blissfully obeyed, and they fell into silence, lost in each other's arms. She chastised herself for having been such an idiot. Saji had been right all along. She didn't have to say anything.

And neither did he.

*

Thirty-two hours had passed since the major battle against the Regnant. Arthur Goodman's death had thrown the massive A-Laws fleet into confusion, and their hasty regrouping and reorganization would give Ptolemaios and her crew plenty of time to recharge and prepare for their next raid on the moon colony. Eventually, a crack would appear. Only then would they slip through, in the midst of an overwhelming enemy that outnumbered them. But their strategy did not seem hopeless. And that was enough.

"Louise Halevy… will she be alright?" confirmed a brooding Setsuna. "Eventually, she will have to receive medical treatment one way or another."

"She should be fine," said Feldt, smiling into her screen on which his face was displayed. "Get some sleep, Setsuna. You've been working so hard – "

Lasse was about to lean back on his chair when Mileina shot up a hand. "Hold that thought! A new Mobile Suit is approaching us at a speed that's… comparable to a Gundam's speed!" she cried.

"What?" cried Sumeragi.

"It's a custom Mobile Suit," said Feldt, typing rapidly into her controls. "It's not a Gundam… it's… an Overflag?" she concluded, blinking in confusion at the horned, ebony and ivory war machine that neared the Ptolemaios.

Anew's eyes widened. "Another A-Laws officer?"

"Not exactly. He is a licensed fighter who serves as the ace of the A-Laws." Setsuna nodded in realization. "I'll deal with this enemy. He's come for me only. He is a man who was distorted by our mistakes, by my mistakes. Saji's fulfilled his share. Now it's my turn. I'll make it right."

Feldt looked worried. "But Setsuna, why does it have to be only you? We can send out the other Gundams to assist – "

"Open 00's hatch. I'm heading out now." And with that, Setsuna cut off the visual transmission and turned to grab his helmet.

_If we're to claim any future, I have no choice but to defeat the scars of our past._

_The scars of _my_ past_.


	16. Chapter 15: To Treasure the Gift of Life

"The earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that in glory and in triumph they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of the dot on scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner of the dot. How frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds. Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the universe, are challenged by this point of pale light.

Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity – in all this vastness – there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. It is up to us… To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly and compassionately with one another and to preserve and cherish that pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known."

– Carl Sagan

**Chapter 15: To Treasure the Gift of Life **

Victorious from its most recent skirmish against the main Lagrange 2 A-Laws fleet, 00 Raiser hurtled out of the open hatch of Ptolemaios. Setsuna had left Saji to care for Louise – he alone would be enough to come to terms with this. He opened the frequency between his Mobile Suit and its black and white opponent in the immediate distance. A lean, sleek entity that bore no weapons save two black GN Katanas, it had pursued them past the moon, away from the immediate A-Laws defences. His opponent certainly knew how to pressure a retreating adversary. His eyes narrowed as his display screen crackled and re-focused on a helmeted blond man with the Japanese mask of a traditional, noble samurai.

"What do you want?" asked Setsuna tersely.

"I want nothing more – and nothing less – than a fight to the death with you, boy!" came the response. "I, Graham Aker, Mister Bushido, pilot of the Susanoo, hereby challenge you to a duel!"

Setsuna's hands tightened on his controls. "So you want to settle things this badly?"

"Of course! Gundam polluted my fair skies of pearl and azure, murdered my comrades and esteemed teacher, and crushed my pride as a Flag Fighter! But even so, my desire to defeat you is no longer spurred by hatred, or even by love." Aker clenched his fist. "It has become destiny!"

Setsuna stared into the eyes of the smiling warrior. "Don't forget," whispered Aker, "that if you choose to ridicule my desire, then you must cast away your own vision. For the initiators of the armed interventions that changed this world thus was none other than you, Celestial Being!"

Setsuna paused, taking in Aker's contention. After several moments, he could not help but acknowledge the element of truth in his impassioned words. _Another man… distorted by us. But this was something I've known all along. I have to change this… I have to bring the past to rest_.

"Very well, then. Let's duel." 00 Raiser raised its GN Swords. "If nothing else will bring you peace, then we'll fight as you wish."

Aker smirked as Susanoo hovered further upwards. "This is the sole path I seek. Even if I became a puppet of the Innovators and the A-Laws… as long as I can fight for my honour, it's all I need – !" Susanoo raised its katanas and snapped them together, forming a powerful sword-staff. The experimental close range combat Mobile Suit did not wait for Setsuna to accept its challenge, and hurtled towards 00 Raiser, raising its deadly combined weapon. "Now, boy… I won't hold back," he bellowed, his eyes wide in excitement. "Let the match begin!"

"00 Raiser. Silencing target!" shouted Setsuna. A thunderous resonance pierced through the ghostlike silence of the Earth star-system as 00 Raiser met Susanoo's attack with its GN Swords. They spun away and smashed their weapons into each other's again, and they ascended higher and higher up towards the distant crest of Mars, swirling past each other and bashing their weapons together repeatedly as the Mobile Suits struggled to overcome the other. Susanoo initiated a wide-angle sweep against 00 Raiser's legs. But Setsuna was prepared, and parried with 00 Raiser's left sword before thrusting at Susanoo's head with its right arm. Aker smiled, and with the press of a switch, activated his pseudo-Trans-Am. A wave of crimson washed over the Mobile Suit, and with a well-timed kick, sent the attacking 00 Raiser hurtling back. Setsuna gritted his teeth in surprise, the interior of his cockpit trembling. Aker's bestial growl was audible above the shaking.

"Behold, boy. My secret technique, bestowed upon me by my dear friend!"

Time seemed to stop as Susanoo raised its sword-staff and hurtled towards him triumphantly.

Setsuna fearlessly met the challenge. "Trans-Am!" he roared, and once again, the face of Prime suffused his consciousness, expanding his immediate vision beyond that of his Gundam and into the quantum realm of concentrated GN Particles pouring out of the Mobile Suit. As the particles formed into two massive circles behind it, 00 Raiser's speed increased to such a level that it became a swirling, dancing orb of blue-green light, bashing repeatedly against the deep orange, light crimson radiance of Susanoo. They collided into one another again and again, shooting in wide arcs across the emptiness between the moon and the red planet, relying on nothing except their melee weapons and their individual skills. Setsuna called upon all his experience as a freedom fighter, as Exia's pilot and as an Innovating human to match Aker's passion as a Flag fighter and a true warrior amongst men. Another angry slash from 00 Raiser's GN Swords, and Susanoo parried, struggling to push the blades back.

"This is it… this is what I've yearned for! With this victory, comes the vengeance of my comrades!" proclaimed Aker in exultance, kneeing 00 Raiser in the torso and sending it flying back again.

"Is that all you wish for?!" shouted Setsuna, steering his Gundam away from another double ended slash. "Nothing more than victory and vengeance?!"

"What else is there?!" barked Aker. Suddenly, a particle cannon emerged from the abdominal cavity his Mobile Suit and began to charge, assisted by the folded shoulders. Setsuna's eyes widened as a powerful beam vomited forth from the ebony barrel and screamed towards him. He quickly dodged and, as the particle weapon shot past him, met Aker's attempted deathblow, gritting his teeth as e-carbon screeched against e-carbon.

"Isn't it obvious? The promise of tomorrow, of a better future!" cried Setsuna, inputting commands for 00 Raiser to riposte and run Susanoo through. Large sparks flew off the clashing metal, but Aker anticipated Setsuna's counterattack and slashed upwards, damaging 00 Raiser's hands and forcing Setsuna to relinquish his left GN Sword. The Susanoo was far too quick, and Setsuna was now disarmed in one hand.

"Be proud to fall by my blade, boy!" roared Aker, as his Mobile Suit raised its sword-staff gloriously brought it down with full force onto 00 Raiser's head.

Setsuna closed his eyes, his heart alert but somehow utterly fearless. _Optimus_…

_Marina_…

In a manoeuvre of audacity and daring, the developing Innovator directed 00 Raiser to raise its right arm and catch the descending blade with its remaining sword. Sparks screeched from its fingers, but aside from several dangerous dents on its palm, his impulsive strategy had succeeded. Aker gasped in shock. How was such a defence possible?

Roaring, Setsuna twisted and pushed through, and 00 Raiser's sword turned and sliced the sword-staff into two neat pieces. As Susanoo reeled from the unexpected turnaround, the red-hued Gundam slashed down, hurtled up, and attacked again from the side, eviscerating Susanoo into four neat parts. Its head exploded along with the main portion of its body, and the helmet shattered to reveal the original Flag Aker had nurtured so much pride in. Even to the end, he refused to utilize any other weapon to fulfil his burning ambition – to topple a Gundam with nothing but his skill, with nothing but the gifts of Professor Eifman. And now that ambition had come to a definitive close as 00 Raiser hovered before his exposed cockpit. His body contaminated by the particles from the inauthentic GN Drive Tau, he coughed blood into the interior of his helmet as circuits fizzled around him dangerously. He sputtered helplessly as he stared at the face of the Gundam.

_This crested face… has determined my destiny, in life and in_ _death_.

"F… fight me, boy! It is time! Show me the strength that you've earned through your training, and take my life with your own hands!" he demanded, forcing a manic grin. But inside his own control unit, Setsuna slowly shook his head, and 00 Raiser's Trans-Am suddenly deactivated, returning it to its usual blue-white colour.

"No," said the Kurdish youth simply.

The defeated warrior's eyes widened in rage as the Gundam lowered its sword. "Why are you refusing to land the final blow?" he screamed. "Must you trample on my honour as well? How dare you spurn the final wishes of your opponent?"

00 Raiser turned its back on Aker to withdraw. "I… have something greater to fight for. I will not hurt anyone mindlessly, least of all you. I've decided to fight for the future, and for the lives of those who depend on that future." And with those simple words, Setsuna continued on his charted route back to the waiting Ptolemaios. The Gundam quickly shrunk into a trail of blue-green light, leaving the heavily damaged Susanoo to float aimlessly about in zero gravity.

_Yes. I'm going to fight only for what I believe in. For the new world, I'll fight to realize Optimus's vision. I will make sure our dialogues succeed._

_And… and I'll fight for the woman whose voice I hear in my dreams. I will fight for her. I will protect Marina_.

When it became evident that 00 Raiser wasn't returning, an impatient Aker slumped, his eyes closing in defeat. After so many years, the Gundam really had taken everything from him. But at the very least, it had allowed him to fulfil his duty and fight a duel, to decide, once and for all, destiny's victor. Now… all that remained was for him to fulfil his code of the samurai's pact.

"_Bushido_…" he whispered, glancing to his side at the sheathed tanto that was tucked underneath his control panel.

*

_Follow me no more_, thought Setsuna to himself, acknowledging that his victory over Aker was in small part a victory over his past's mistakes. As he approached the Ptolemaios, he knew that Aker's honour would prevent him from pursuing him any longer. They had settled their score decisively and conclusively. The Flag fighter no longer had any reason to bear a grudge. His obsession, once a matter of pride and vengeance, would degenerate into infantile self-hatred if he refused to admit defeat at this point. But for Aker's sake, Setsuna sincerely hoped that he would channel his passion for victory into a much worthier fight… the struggle for life, not carnage.

His radar suddenly beeped in warning. Two enemy Mobile Suits were approaching him from the direction Susanoo had come. "What?" he whispered, looking down. "Who could it be?"

Two red lights glimmered in the darkness, and a new Gadessa and Garazzo suddenly hurtled past the defeated Susanoo, their weapons aimed straight for 00 Raiser. "With you weakened, you'll be easy pickings! You're ours now, 00!" cried Healing, as her Garazzo raised its Beam Claws. Revive smiled, steering Gadessa to charge its GN Mega Launcher.

_They had intended this all along_? Setsuna turned around and brought his Gundam about, clenching his teeth as the Innovators descended upon him. "Over my dead body." Spent from his duel with Aker, he wearily clutched his control sticks and steered 00 Raiser up to meet Healing and Revive's assault –

"Now!" cried Lockon.

Three powerful emissions from Cherudim, Arios and Seravee shot forth from behind the Ptolemaios and towards 00 Raiser's would-be captors. The ambushers had been trapped in a counter-surprise attack. Garazzo was caught unawares, and struck by three plasma blasts, its body exploded, revealing a small escape pod that shot away hastily. "Unbelievable!" cried Healing, soaring away back to the distant Lagrange 2 fleet. "This is so unfair!"

Immediately afterwards, she smiled to herself, and her eyes quantized as she spoke telepathically to Revive. _The rest is all up to you. I hope they're not too suspicious at our poor performance_.

_They are fools. They won't suspect anything_, replied Revive calmly, firing his plasma beam towards 00.

"And now for you!" called Lockon, as Seravee stopped in front of 00 Raiser and activated its GN Field. While Revive's Mega Launcher still managed to pierce past Tieria's forcefield, the Gadessa was already surrounded by Cherudim and Arios, and in moments, their weapons quickly blasted away its head, arms and legs. As the hissing Gadessa trembled and shut down completely, the Gundams aimed their GN Rifles at the exposed control room. "You're not going anywhere, Innovator," smiled Lockon triumphantly. "You're coming with us."

Stepping out of his sizzling and smoking cockpit, a remarkably calm Revive slowly raised his hands into the air, his eyes gleaming.

_Ribbons Almark's stratagem is proceeding perfectly. Perhaps it is unnecessarily risky, but it is ingenious nevertheless_.

*

"They captured an Innovator?" asked Jetfire in surprise, raising his ancient head at Bumblebee's news. The yellow robot nodded. Jetfire glanced at Ironhide, Ratchet and Prime, who all looked equally surprised. "So, we're finally getting somewhere," pondered the oldest Autobot, raising his giant, black cane that doubled as a clobbering weapon against Decepticon and childish creatures alike. "They proclaim themselves to be ancient beings. I'd like to see them match up to me. I am, after all, one of the first."

"You come from a time we didn't even know existed," grumbled Bumblebee. "The age of the first seekers that served those trans-dimensional beings… the most powerful beings in the universe."

Jetfire snorted, but turned away nevertheless. He closed his optics as memories came rushing into his database – memories of his past Decepticon life that he would rather forget. What manner of conspiracy was Megatron undertaking this time?

"Could this be part of Soran's plan? Or should I say, Celestial Being's plan?" wondered Ratchet, rubbing his broad, green and silver chin. "To not only recapture Veda, but obtain insider information from enemy forces?"

"I smell treachery," growled Ironhide, his nasal sensors expanding themselves as if to make a point. "Innovators on board this ship… something doesn't sit right with my system. Optimus?"

Prime nodded. "Ironhide could be right. I'll contact Leesa. Don't relax your vigilance. It seems that the enemy is no longer resorting to mere brute force to attack Celestial Being. First we suffered the A-Laws manipulation of the Memento Mori's destruction, and now small numbers of skilled individuals have been attacking us during strange intervals. All Autobots, standby in this hangar. Subterfuge is a dangerous weapon… especially when committed by someone within our ranks."

Bumblebee's voice synchronizer chuckled goodheartedly. "Isn't that what we've been doing for the past forty hours anyway, sir?"

*

Revive smiled to himself as the uniformed Gundam Meisters and Sumeragi Lee Noriega entered the room in which he was to be interrogated. He nodded politely as they entered through the sliding carbon door, their faces stern and determined. No doubt they would grill him on meaningless questions they already knew. Although they were enemies and he was not about to hide his sense of superiority as an Innovator, he did respect their tenacity and their stubborn belief in the truth of their struggle. He would not give them a hard time. He would carry out the mission Ribbons Almark had assigned to him, and consign Celestial Being's members to a quick and merciful death.

"Hello," he acknowledged.

"Please cooperate," said Sumeragi, as the Meisters glared at him suspiciously. "If you do, there'll be no reason for bloodshed on my ship."

"If you insist," shrugged Revive, closing his eyes to conceal his quantization. The next phase of Ribbons Almark's strategy was about to commence. His mind touched his genetic female counterpart and began to give commands. _Anew… ready yourself. Take anyone around you hostage and shoot those that don't cooperate. I'll deal with 00 Gundam_.

In the command centre of the Ptolemaios, unbeknownst to Lasse, Mileina and Feldt, Anew Returner's usual red eyes began to silently glow with a yellow lustre. _I understand, what I must do_, she replied calmly.

Her hands began to surreptitiously steer the Ptolemaios off-course, back towards the waiting A-Laws fleet. She remained quiet, her face utterly emotionless as the ship gradually turned in the opposite direction, back towards the moon. By the time Lasse noticed, it was already far too late. "Oi, Anew. You're going off-course. Re-adjust your coordinates," he said offhandedly, completely trusting her unusually poor navigation to an innocent mistake.

She gazed uninterestedly at him and drew her pistol, pointing it at him.

His eyes widened, not even in anger or fear, but in pure shock. "What the – "

A loud, cold gunshot drowned out his voice.

Slipping from his chair, Lasse dropped to the floor, clutching his abdomen in agony as his blood seeped out of his shirt and onto the ship's deck. Anew slowly rose to the bewildered cries of Feldt and the high-pitched screams of Mileina. "Shut up," she demanded calmly, pointing her handgun at the forehead of Ian's daughter. "You are now my hostage. Come quietly if you don't want a piece of metal in your eye socket."

She kicked herself up to the upper level of the command room and grabbed a trembling Mileina by the collar, glaring at Feldt as the operator lifted her hands into the air. Still, Feldt could not help expressing her bewilderment, her voice a shaky mumble. "Miss Returner, what are you doing? Why… why did you shoot…" She glanced at the groaning Lasse, who writhed and twisted on the floor helplessly. She looked back into Anew's golden eyes as the sleeper agent revealed her true colours, smiling absently and coldly as she pressed the barrel of her handgun against the tearful Mileina's ear. The metal dug into her skin and cartilage, and she whimpered in terrified pain.

"Dear me. Shouldn't my reasons be obvious, Miss Grace? I am, after all, an_ Innovator_."

*

_Their mutual attraction had been undeniable the moment they shook hands, smiling playfully at each other as they introduced themselves. They had their reasons for such shared magnetism, but they were not on grounds that could be verbally explained. Certainly, she could not articulate them now. His kisses were too delicious, his touch, too bewitching. They had kept their relationship secret until she accidentally blown their cover, out of worry for his safety. But already, their reciprocal yearning had exploded into something uncontrollable – at least, in Lockon's room. Their time in bed had been nothing less than joyous, unconstrained, leisurely, inventive, and full of a special life of its own – it was as if they built a little secret world of expressive love, a mutual gift through which to share and celebrate their chance meeting. It was their house, their refuge, and their private dwelling where they could make their ship their home._

_On many a night, Anew had the honour of Lockon welcoming her naked body onto his bed, and she had lost herself in his embrace as he straddled her in the throes of passion, guiding her to a zenith she had, until then, could only fantasize about. He adored her bosom, those intoxicating breasts that she offered to him as they struggled to outdo one another in the giving of pleasure. Their sighs often loudened and then hushed as they laughed quietly to themselves. They did not want anyone to hear them. And so she did her best to keep quiet, although it was unbearably difficult. His hands were magical, his deep voice alluring, mysterious, and infinitely comforting. She lost herself not merely in his cuddles, but in his light-hearted teasing too. His human, Irish charm had beguiled her, and to have been born as an Innovator that fell in love with this man was, as far as she was concerned, proof of providence._

_For the gods wanted her to be happy._

_She asked him about his brother. He responded willingly, but his memories weren't fond. And then, before she could offer to comfort him, he quickly swept her up in his arms again, resuming their lovemaking with a creativity she found to be rousingly daring, slightly cheeky. They remained wrapped in each other's arms and legs for hours on end, until it was time for Anew's shift and Lockon was assigned his next mission. But they would return for more. Their gentle desire; their erotic delight. Such was the affection that had ignited between them. _

"_I love you, Lyle_."

"_I love you too, Anew_."

*

Inside the control room for 00 and 0 Raiser, the Innovator narrowed her eyes as she shook away the warm memories of her lover's arms and his comforting embrace. "Hurry up," she commanded Mileina coldly, as the panicky teenager frantically typed in the authorization code for 00's launch. "Don't think about stalling for time."

"Y… yes, Miss Returner," stammered Mileina, her clammy, shaking hands moving with due haste.

Anew shook her head violently again, but no matter how she tried to eradicate him from his mind, he persisted in returning. Perhaps it was to be expected. It wouldn't be long before the humans discovered Revive's telepathic communication with her. She had to escape the Ptolemaios quickly and fulfill her mission.

If she delayed any longer, they… _he_… would come for her. And she would have to look into his eyes and tell him that he was her enemy. And she wasn't confident that she could do that. They simply understood each other too well.

"Lyle."


	17. Chapter 16: Yore and Hereafter

At that point, further revealing the realm of the enlightening liberation which guides the world by the light of truth that dispels the darkness for all sentient beings, the goddess looked over the ten directions by the power of Buddha and spoke these verses to Sudhana: "This peaceful liberation of mind guides the world / To happiness in accord with the time / By producing the light of truth / To end the darkness of delusion and ignorance. / My kindness is vast and pure, / Developed over boundless aeons past; / Dispelling evil, I illumine the world – / Realize this wisdom, O Sudhana, steadfast one."

– Vasanti to Sudhana, Avatamsaka Sutra, Book 31

*****

**Chapter 16: Spirits of Yore and Hereafter**

_On board the Ptolemaios_

"Veda? Of course, it is in our possession. We are, after all, the ones Aeolia Schenberg entrusted it to." Revive Revival smiled at the impatient expressions of the Meisters, although Sumeragi Lee Noriega seemed much more genuine in her composure. "And what were you saying about our friends from Cybertron?"

"The Transformers are the central part of Aeolia's plan, aren't they?" said Tieria, ignoring his sarcasm. "GN Drives, Veda… and Innovators. This scheme for planet Earth is centred on preparing it for our dialogues with Cybertron."

Revive clapped his hands, slowly and mockingly. The patter of his gloves rang out across the chamber.

"So everything we've done, all the wars we've fought… it's been in preparation for the Cybertronian presence?" asked Allelujah. "But how could Schenberg have predicted their return?"

"It seems Veda hasn't deemed you worthy to know."

Sumeragi shot Revive a stern glance. He shrugged and relented. "This succession of events was set in motion two hundred years ago, when the Transformers received a distant signal from the Cybertron star system. Believing they should answer that call, they departed from Earth, having spent a century stewarding its inferior humans. At that time, a descendant of the Witwicky family happened to marry a man by the last name of Schenberg. The result of that union was none other than Aeolia himself."

"Are you saying Aeolia Schenberg was related to the Witwickys?" asked Sumeragi.

"Young Schenberg's mother wasted no time in recounting to him of the magnificent Transformers, of their benevolent Autobot faction and their evil counterparts, the Decepticons. The Cybertronian robots had become Earthen lore in their own right, hallowed and venerated as alien heroes. Schenberg himself was obsessed with the possibility that they would eventually return to Earth. During his time as a physicist, he was fascinated by a prospective dialogue with the Autobots, whilst ensuring that the Decepticons wouldn't ravage Earth as they had done once before." Revive's smile disappeared as even he turned serious. "Veda, the GN Drives, Gundam, Celestial Being, and the Innovators themselves were developed to prepare mankind for unity with the Autobots whilst giving it the best chance of defence against the Decepticons. Of course, the fronts that he devised to conceal his plans from would-be evildoers were the armed interventions, which would unite the world in preparation for the Cybertronians' return."

"That is the final phase of Schenberg's plan," confirmed Setsuna, quietly triumphant. Lockon looked at him, and he nodded. "But he hasn't told you how Schenberg intended for the dialogues to proceed. Schenberg wanted to invite the Autobots to assimilate Veda, so they would gain access to the GN Drives and complete, total quantization. Once they've downloaded Veda completely, they'll be able to configure for themselves new, larger forms – forms of Gundams – whilst retaining all their Cybertronian abilities within their sparks."

He looked down at his hands, oblivious to the astonished faces around him. "Through exposure to the GN Particles, I have… seen… Optimus in me. He is aware of the change humanity must experience in order to become true Innovators alongside the Autobots. The union of an Autobot's consciousness and the augmented body of a Gundam will serve as Earth's greatest protection against the Decepticons, allowing us to explore space safely as evolved humans."

His voice almost trembled. "With tranquility and understanding in our hearts, and peace as our guiding principle."

Sumeragi caught on quickly. "Then, this Starscream you told us about… he's stolen the Autobots' rightful gift for his own ends."

"Everything has been accelerated, and much has been distorted," said Tieria. "Because of Ribbons Almark's hunger for power, the world has turned against their old saviours, and now the Decepticons are…" He trailed off, grimacing.

"It's an inconvenient bother, but at least Revival's a talkative one," smirked Lockon. "That's good. I guess you still have some good sense."

"Indeed," agreed Revive. "I've indulged you in so much information precisely because I am now leaving. I won't be on this ship much longer." To the Meisters and Sumeragi's shock, he audaciously stood up from his chair and slung his helmet over his shoulder. "If you know what's good for you – "

"Don't move," warned Setsuna, pointing a pistol at him.

Revive smiled, and as if on his cue, a transmission from Feldt found its way to Sumeragi's pager. "M… Ma'am! Miss Returner…"

"Anew?" whispered Lockon. "What's wrong?"

"Miss Returner… she's shot Lasse and taken Mileina hostage!" replied Feldt hysterically.

"Impossible!" cried Sumeragi, as the Meisters turned to glare at a gloating Revive. "How could this be?"

"Miss Returner… said she was an Innovator!"

"What have you done?" snarled Lockon. "What's happened to Anew?"

"I suggest you keep your temper under control. If anything happens to me, I really can't guarantee the hostage's safety." Revive casually brushed past Tieria and walked out of his interrogation room. His fists clenched, Lockon moved to pursue him, but Sumeragi calmly held up a hand, stopping him. Revive walked down the corridor, and as the door slid shut behind him, the lights across the massive spacecraft died, plunging the Meisters into darkness.

_I see you've sabotaged their internal systems, Anew. Is 00 ready to be launched_?

_Yes. Your orders_?

_Very good_, nodded Revive._ You only need to wait for me and proceed as planned to the hangar. Don't take any chances_.

"Damn it!" cried Lockon, as Revive's footsteps died away. "We have to do something! Anew could be – "

"Tieria, Allelujah – they're after 00's Twin Drives. Can you hurry to your Mobile Suits and prevent any further sabotage?" asked Sumeragi, her eyes flashing. "Stop the Innovators from leaving this ship with any of our Gundams or Armours, and be on the lookout for any impending attack from the moon armada."

"Lockon, this way," said Setsuna, launching himself out of the door and heading for the secondary control room. Lockon followed Setsuna as Tieria and Allelujah split off from them. His eyes were narrow as they hid his concern for Anew's wellbeing.

_This isn't you. I know this isn't you. You're too beautiful a girl to do this to anyone_.

*

After several tense minutes of silence, Setsuna and Lockon arrived at a longer hallway, submerged in darkness. Few things were visible save the handrails. They paused, glancing at each other tersely.

Footsteps could be heard.

From the corner of the sharp wall emerged Mileina, her entire body trembling as a stern Anew stepped out behind her, refusing to lift her pistol's barrel away from the child's head. Lockon's eyes narrowed, but Setsuna managed to maintain a neutral expression. "Anew Returner," he said calmly, stopping before the captor and the hostage. "That's enough."

"Setsuna F. Seiei, humanity's first evolving Innovator," acknowledged Anew calmly. "Your place, like mine, is not with these people."

"Setsuna! Lockon!" cried Mileina hopefully. "I'm saved."

"Stop this silliness, Anew!" cried Lockon suddenly, passing Setsuna and stopping before her. Anew's eyes faltered as they met Lockon's, and her grip on her gun slackened slightly.

"Lyle," she grimaced.

He shot her a charming smirk that usually made her weak at the knees. "That angry, aggressive pose really doesn't suit you. And why were you thinking of leaving me behind, anyway?" Humour was his usual strategy when dealing with crises of a personal nature.

The gorgeous Innovator started, taken aback by his seemingly flippant attitude, and countered with her own offer as she remembered her mission. "Would you like to come with me instead? You deserve so much more than this. You can bear witness to the revolution of the world by my side."

Their gazes kissed again, and they stared at one another for several drawn out moments.

But Lockon was not fooled. In fact, he had prepared for such a retort all along. He paused, and then smiled. "Alright, sounds fair. Looks like I'm heading back to Lagrange 2 with you. Would you like me to bring Cherudim, too?" Mileina gasped incredulously, and Anew's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he turned to face Setsuna. His silent signal to act was hidden in his fake farewell. "That's how it is, Setsuna. Thanks for having me up till _now_."

It was crucial to Mileina's life that Setsuna was alert to Lockon's hint, and the Meister didn't disappoint. "Very well," he said quietly. "I understand."

And with that, he whipped out his pistol and shot Lockon, his perfectly aimed bullet grazing his left shoulder harmlessly. But Anew had fallen for it. "Lyle!" she cried in concern, as Lockon floated through the air and clenched his eyes in feigned pain. But the moment she briefly released a screaming Mileina to help him, he shot his hand forward, reaching out and grabbing Ian's trembling daughter. He hugged her close to him, looking at Anew apologetically. Her eyes widened in realization, and without her hostage, she promptly fled down the corridor, presumably to her escape ship. Setsuna desisted in pursuing her and turned to Lockon, who had turned his attention to the sobbing Mileina.

"Good thinking."

"Good aiming," replied the Irish Meister, rubbing his sore shoulder gratefully. "But more importantly…" His usually relaxed eyes narrowed again in determination. "I'm not going to let her do this to herself. Let's go after Anew. I'm going to bring her back."

"You don't have to shoot her," said Setsuna flatly. "When the time comes, I will pull the trigger."

Lockon clenched his teeth and looked away. "Jesus Christ, you don't have to say that like it's really going to happen, kid. There's got to be some way to get her to return to us. I know it."

As she hastily floated down her contingency route, Anew's face was troubled and her churning heart in turmoil as Lyle Dylandy's handsome, self-sacrificing face seared itself into her distressed conscience.

"Lyle."

*

_Main Gundam hangar_

"The hostage was rescued? That figures," sighed Revive, lifting the rifle from an unconscious Ian's hands. "That's what we deserve for assigning a woman to such an emotional task." He glared at a fearful Saji and Louise as they slowly raised their hands. He ignored them and floated towards the docked 0 Raiser, smiling at the magnificence of Celestial Being's wondrous creation. "So Anew's already escaped in her carrier? She will return to help me. At the very least, I shouldn't leave empty handed before we launch another assault on Ptolemaios."

"So when we finally get some action, it's one puny human with a gun?" boomed a deep, rugged voice. Revive stopped himself, his eyes widening in bewilderment. "I'm disappointed, Optimus." He looked down towards the bottom level of the darkened bay, and there awaited Celestial Being's Cybertronian allies. Two of them were particularly large: a red, blue and silver robot and his winged, black-grey companion that stood beside him.

He gritted his teeth in frustration and trepidation. Had they been expecting him all along? He certainly couldn't beat them on his own.

A completely black Transformer, one that resembled a bull, spoke again, and Revive recognized his voice as the one that had expressed his disdain at the prospect of fighting one lone Innovator. "Just say the word, Prime. I suppose I'll be satisfied with anything, now that the ship's internal systems seem to be taken out."

"Your cannons are enough to decimate a small moon. Ironhide. I haven't forgotten your incident at Kaiba-5. And your strength is out of the question as well, Jetfire. We're not looking to destroy our allies' ship here." A lime-green Autobot stepped forward thoughtfully, signaling to his smaller yellow compatriot. "Bumblebee and I will arrest him. We can do it with as little damage as possible to this hangar."

The largest of them all – one who emanated a venerable aura of prehistoric age – smiled. "You sure you don't want me to just pick him up, Ratchet?"

Ratchet and Bumblebee aimed their plasma cannons up at Revive, who kicked off the metal ledge behind him and fled towards 0 Raiser. "Kid, we don't want to hurt you," warned Bumblebee. "Why don't you back down for now?"

Suddenly, Revive began to quantize as he aimed his newly acquired rifle and began to shoot at the Autobots, out of which Bumblebee and Ratchet cautiously returned warning fire. Taking care that their counterattacks would not damage the docked Mobile Suits, the hangar rumbled slightly as their forearm cannons began to dent the roof and the upper levels. The massive Jetfire moved to lift his arm, attempting to corner Revive like an irritated housekeeper seizes insects. Revive quickly lifted himself to take cover behind a portion of 0 Raiser, shooting a hail of bullets at Jetfire's finger, which recoiled slightly. He snorted. _Which one amongst you is called the_ '_Prime_?' he asked telepathically, above the exchange of gunfire.

_I am. You must be with Ribbons Almark_, responded the blue and red sentinel, stepping forward calmly and looking up at the Innovator, who turned around, rolling past Jetfire's comparatively clumsy grasp and releasing a hail of bullets down at Prime. They glanced off his shoulders and chest harmlessly.

_Yes. Ribbons has told me all about you. About your apparent affinity with Setsuna F. Seiei… and your understanding of quantum brainwaves_. Revive smiled, although it was more of a taunt than a compliment. _You're more like us than the humans. Perhaps you should join us, the Innovators. The future of the world would be much safer in our care than in Celestial Being, an organization that should've disappeared into history four years ago_!

_Return Veda to us_, replied Prime._ It rightfully belongs to Celestial Being. And you have no idea what the Decepticons are capable of. Should you continue to ignore their presence, your so-called new world order will collapse under their claws as well_.

But his warning came too late.

He had been about to speak again. But in that brief moment, he blinked, and he was suddenly looking at the abyss of the realm where the quanta gathered. It was the realm that Setsuna had revealed to him, and he was beginning to dwell in it more and more frequently. But this time was different. From that primordial emptiness, a single, twisted claw abruptly burst into the light of the surface world. It belonged to an emerging, massive hand, one of distinct silver colour. It touched the firmament of the bright light that shone above the darkness, in which lay hidden all the disgust, all the fear, all the hatred of the universe. The light that was formed by the quanta did not understand it, and neither did they understand the rumbling roar that accompanied that darkness when it irrupted into the ethereal realm, shaking the pillars of Paradise itself and singlehandedly driving out all elemental innocence from the Garden. And then, two red, glowing optical sensors materialized without warning, as if their owner was only just awakening from a deep, primeval slumber.

_We meet again… Prime_!

Caught completely by surprise and seized by an interior torment that overwhelmed his spark and body alike, Prime groaned at the thundering voice within his head and slowly sank to his knees, clutching his head. The triumphant, unfathomable cackling grew into a cacophony of invasive shrieks and bizarrely pitched frequencies, and it seemed his very helm would implode from the pressure alone. He gasped, closing his eyes in pain. His subordinates shouted his name in concern, lowering their cannons and turning to him as Revive hid behind a portion of 0 Raiser's left wing. _What are you bawling about, Autobot_? he asked smugly.

Prime had utterly forgotten about Revive and could barely hear his telepathic question. He could only snarl, his low, agonized growl one of furious realization. "You… have you come to threaten us again?" he breathed heavily. "Have you… learnt nothing from our war with The Fallen? Do you intend to persist in your self-destructive craving for power until the universe itself cannot provide you with the satiation you seek?"

There was no reply, only laughter.

"Answer me, Megatron!!" cried Prime.

"Megatron?!" said Bumblebee in disbelief.

Ironhide raised his head in astonishment. "No, it can't be."

"How could he have returned?" denied Ratchet frantically. "That's simply ludicrous, Optimus."

"He's in your head, isn't he?" whispered Jetfire, his optics reflecting shock… and fear. "His spark… can quantize with yours. Is this all because of Veda's power?"

To his Autobots' further shock, Prime howled. He bellowed a rare, uncharacteristic roar of vehement, immobilized pain, and at the ship-shuddering cry, Revive's eyes widened in bewilderment. He could not mask his bafflement. "What rubbish are you squealing of, Prime?"

Another voice echoed from the darkness as the Decepticon leader's sinister mirth drifted in and out of the quantum realm. _Whatever you try will be futile, fleshling sympathizers. Veda now belongs to us_!

Bumblebee's voicebox whirred as he fell onto his rear. "What the – " he moaned, and Ironhide also staggered, followed by Ratchet, who fell to the ground on one knee. Even Jetfire had withdrawn his hand, rubbing his aching insectoid head as the Decepticons, at long last, revealed themselves to their aeon-old adversaries. Their grasp over Veda had grown so strong that even those with lesser affinity to the GN Drives could hear their voices and their thoughts, saturating the Eden-like dimension like thick, corrupting oil. "Starscream…" grunted Bumblebee, as the Autobots groaned in dazed suffering. "He's really infiltrated their computer system!"

_It's been many centuries, yellow pest_! chortled Starscream. _I trust you're prepared for even more suffering that that which you experienced at the Battle of Tyger Pax_?

With Megatron's bottomless, hateful voice still pounding in his head, Prime glared up at Revive. "They are here… everywhere. The Decepticons… they've corrupted Veda. They have altered your system, and may well have seized it entirely!" He gesticulated wildly and urgently. "You are in greater danger than you could have ever imagined! Hurry and report to Ribbons Almark, and warn him of Megatron's presence. Or it will be too late to stop him – "

"Im… impossible! Don't try to deceive me," cried Revive, backing away as he momentarily forgot about 0 Raiser. He aimed his rifle at an increasingly frustrated and distressed Prime. "We are Innovators! We are the highest life form to ever traverse the galaxy – "

Revive's quantizing eyes widened as the Decepticon commander's bellow suddenly pierced into his head. His brain physically recoiled from the warped roar. Darkness fell around him, and he screamed as the undead, ferocious, infinitely cruel countenance of Prime's brother flashed before him, raising his twisted, gaunt, claw and reaching for him. _Lies! Falsehood! Your superiority is a sham, your pride is but an illusion_, resounded Megatron telepathically. _You are no better than humans, no less deserving of death. And rest assured that I shall be the one to mete out your punishment_!

Revive raised his rifle and began to fire into the air, into the hangar ceiling indiscriminately, desperately scrambling to ward off the demon in his head, but he would not be stopped, his will would not be hindered. He screamed louder and louder as his soft, pink brain was stabbed and punctured by razor-sharp Decepticon frequencies. Blood poured from his eyes, nostrils and eardrums as his cartridge finally emptied itself of ammunition. Releasing his useless gun, he clutched his head, shrieking helplessly as Megatron snorted in scorn. His horned, crowned face slowly faded away from the quantum realm, and Revive slumped in convulsions, hovering in mid-air helplessly. Recovering slightly from the unexpected interference within Veda, Jetfire shifted to scoop the Innovator's body up. He glanced at a fearful Saji, who had appeared from behind the railing with a groaning Ian.

"Are you alright, you two?" asked the elderly, colossal Autobot in genuine concern.

"Y… yes…" stammered Saji, glancing at Ian, who stirred, rubbing his forehead painfully. "What… what's going on?"

Jetfire presented Saji the palm of his hand, on which lay a quivering Revive. He was frothing at the mouth, his bleeding eyes wide in cerebral trauma as his seizure slowly choked away his life. Saji gasped, and Ian suddenly looked rather alert. "The same misfortune befell Sam Witwicky's grandfather, many generations ago," he noted. "He was consigned to a mental asylum, driven into a raving state after witnessing the evil countenance of Megatron. Such is the Lord High Protector's power, that he can drive sentient beings insane simply by beholding them within their minds. Remove this poor Innovator's helmet and take him to the healing ward. He urgently needs your human tranquilizers and stabilizers." Saji nodded, and hesitantly climbed up the railing and hopped into Jetfire's hands, scooping up Revive. He carried the limp agent back towards the upper level exit of the hangar, hurrying to the sick bay.

"It's almost enough to make me forgive him for knocking me out cold," said Ian, following Saji's lead and disappearing. He looked back at Jetfire and nodded. "Almost."

A sombre silence descended on the Autobots for several minutes.

"So this is what the Decepticons are capable of inflicting, once they're within Veda." Ratchet shook his head. "Perhaps it's more likely that it's the reverse. That… Veda is within _them_."

"So they've pre-empted us," said Jetfire grimly. "Then Aeolia Schenberg's gift to us has been most certainly compromised."

"It's not over yet," said Bumblebee angrily, rubbing his yellow helmet. He looked up at Prime. "Sir. Permission to suggest a course of action in light of the recent events?"

"Go on," muttered Prime, still reeling from the trauma of hearing Megatron's voice in his head.

Bumblebee's robotic face was completely serious. "An all-out attack on the moon, with everything we have. There's no other option."

Prime was about to reply when Setsuna, Lockon, Allelujah and Tieria entered the hangar, their eyes reflecting their mutual concern. He glanced up, and his optics met with Setsuna's eyes. "The four of you – it seems the ship has suffered a sabotage," he called.

"Yes, and the ship's disruption was Anew Returner's doing. She's escaped and intends to attack us again," said Tieria. Lockon's fists visibly clenched and unclenched as he hastened to the still, silent Cherudim. Thanks to Anew's sabotage, they would have to force open the Mobile Suit hatches with the Gundams themselves. "She… she is a sleeper agent of the Innovators."

"I'm afraid I have even more troubling tidings," muttered Prime. "It has become incontrovertible that the Decepticons have somehow attained full access into Veda." Setsuna's eyes widened, and Tieria audibly gasped. "The future of our dialogues is at stake. And if the dialogues are what humanity depends on, then its survival is also most certainly in danger. Know that the Innovators themselves are running short on time. If you can rescue Anew Returner, then deploy all our resources and do so. Lyle," he added, looking at him.

"Yeah, Optimus?"

"You once told me of the intimacy you and Anew would come to share. That she is an Innovator should not change anything. Help her remember the mutual understanding the two of you reached. Help her remember that this understanding is not an illusion, but a gift."

Lockon nodded, grimacing. "You don't have to say anything, mate. I won't let either of you down."

*

The four Gundams soared out the manually opened hatches and positioned themselves in a defensive circle in front of Ptolemaios. "Has Miss Returner already fled?" asked Allelujah warily. "She must have returned to the moon base."

"Damn it," snarled Lockon, looking around. "Then I'm all for busting straight in there and dragging that silly girl back here – "

"You won't need to," pointed out Tieria tersely. "Look."

"What?" Lockon glanced impatiently at his radar, and his eyes widened. A Mobile Suit of similar design to the Gadessa and the Garazzo was approaching, leading twenty Aheads towards the Ptolemaios. Anew Returner's personal unit, it was cerulean, blue and white in colour, lending it the impression of having just emerged from the depths of the beautiful Paphian foam. Its slim, deadly beauty certainly matched its pilot's. Returning from the repair station near the moon fleet, she had boarded the Gaddess for a renewed assault on 00 alongside Healing's new Garazzo. With the ship in chaos, there was never a better – and riskier – opportunity to deal a decisive blow to the Gundams. "Anew," whispered Lockon. "Anew Returner!" His voice loudened into a cry of desperation, and Cherudim hurtled up towards the Mobile Suit, drawing its GN Beam Pistols. The Gaddess, in response, changed course and headed directly for a collision course against Cherudim.

"Wait, Lockon!" shouted Setsuna.

"Anew'll have one Gundam pinned down. Engage the rest!" cried Healing. Her detachment obeyed, and they spread out, firing upon the three Mobile Suits that remained behind near the Ptolemaios. "Let the poor boy deal with his squeeze, Meisters! I'll give you all the attention you need!"

"Damn it," snarled Tieria. A GN Field activated before him and condensed into a powerful plasma charge. His subsequent attack consumed three Aheads as the rest scattered and attempted a flank attack. But Healing swooped down to his left and activated her Beam Claws, slicing past Seravee's defences and cleaving through its back. The Gundam's armour exploded, and Tieria screamed as his cockpit shuddered from the impact. Garazzo quickly raised its lethal melee weapons for a downward strike, but was forced to spin away from Arios's GN Rifle shots. The Aheads charged and began to trade blow for blow with the outnumbered Gundams. 00 slashed past three A-Laws units, slipping past their flailing lances and carving them each into two pieces at the waist. It emerged from the haze of purple smoke and activated Trans-Am, and as Arios fell upon the struggling A-Laws division, Setsuna hurtled towards Garazzo, which spread its claws in preparation for impact. Setsuna smashed his GN Swords against Healing's weapons, and the two Mobile Suits struggled against one another frenziedly.

"I've had _enough_ of you," he scowled. "You have _no_ place here at all!"

"You're mine, 00!" screamed Healing, slashing – but before her weapons touched 00, it disappeared again in a miasma of blue-green particles. "What the – " She looked frantically around. "Oh, no way. You can't have – "

Setsuna's quantization was crucial to his swift victory. In two strokes, his GN Swords dismantled Garazzo at the shoulders and at the hip from behind, leaving a useless torso and abdomen to explode as a furious Healing Care fled the battlefield once again in her escape pod. She was certainly growing accustomed to it. It was almost amusing, to listen to her threatening curses and foul swearing over the receiver as she retreated for the second time, constantly and consistently bested by the evolving power of a true Innovator. For his part, Setsuna ignored her angry warnings of revenge and looked up to where two Mobile Suits clashed, preparing to go to Lockon's aid. "Lyle Dylandy…"

If he had to shoot her and earn the enduring hatred of his comrade… then so be it.

*

The Gaddess raised its sword as it retreated past Ptolemaios, reserving the entirety of its power for Cherudim. "Strike him down, Fangs!" came Anew's angry voice, and seven mobile blades, powered by GN Tau Particles, detached from the Gaddess's shoulders and hips to assault Lockon. One of them pierced into Cherudim's leg, but its GN Beam Pistol blew another to shards. Lockon steered his Gundam away from the deadly, oversized knives and shot straight towards Gaddess, ramming it and keeping a firm grip on its arms.

"Why?" he barked, as scorching sparks flew between the two Mobile Suits. "Why are you forcing yourself to fight me?"

"Because you're a human, and I'm an Innovator!" cried his beloved, directing Gaddess's sword to stab into Cherudim's hip joint. Another explosion rocked the Gundam, but it counterattacked by shooting Gaddess in the head, partially destroying its crown as the lovers continued to tussle against the other's Mobile Suit.

"We were able to understand each other!" shouted Lockon, remembering Prime's exhortation as he deployed its GN Bits in assault mode. As the Fangs returned to attack him, the GN Bits released a powerful blast of plasma, incinerating the incoming weapons. "Isn't that what we both wanted?!" The GN Particles flared between Cherudim and the Gaddess, and Anew winced as the Autobot leader's august countenance flickered in her mind.

She shook it away reluctantly. "That was an illusion!" she insisted, her remaining Fangs eating away at Cherudim's limbs as Gaddess pressed its shortsword against its adversary's clenched fists. "I cannot deny my calling, my destiny!"

"So everything that passed between us was false? My emotions… and your feelings?!" replied Lockon in disbelief. He shook his head in adamant denial as Anew fell silent. "If that's so – "

Without warning, Cherudim entered Trans-Am, and its GN Bits quickly surrounded Gaddess, blasting it away several yards. Taken aback, Anew struggled to cut past the incredibly fast pods, but even her GN Vulcan was unable to keep up with Lockon's trump card. Cherudim fired a hail of plasma into Gaddess, smashing past its defences and blowing up its left arm. Before the Innovator's Mobile Suit could resist, Cherudim quickly reached for its torso and began to tear out the front plating. Its fingers gripped the carbon lining tightly and pulled with all its strength. The cover to her cockpit gradually split from its welded joints and was tossed aside into space, revealing a bewildered Anew.

"What – what are you doing?" she cried, staring into Cherudim's face.

"Isn't it obvious?" proclaimed Lockon triumphantly. "I'm going to make you my woman again!"

Anew's angry face turned to one of utter shock as he smiled, his eyes softening into an expression of tenderness that she had not witnessed even when they first made love. "And I'm not letting you say no, Anew. I don't care if you're an Innovator. You'll have to do much better than that to fend off my kisses."

Silence.

Before long, she spoke again, and her voice had broken. "Lyle."

"I know you're an Innovator," he said quietly. "I understand what you did was to help their cause. But you don't have to. You're in control of your own destiny. No one has the right to claim it for some abstract, vague, useless ideal. Haven't we seen enough of those? Can't you simply follow your emotions and your conscience?"

"Lyle," she whispered in surrender, tears trickling from her glistening eyes. She wept quietly in disbelief at the extent to which he was willing to forgive her. So it was true; all his sweet words truly were meant for her alone, and no other. He would take her back, as she was, without qualification. His affection… really was unconditional. "I… I… I'm so… sorry."

"Anew," came Lockon's gentle voice. Cherudim extended its hand to her exposed cockpit and offered its palm, nudging the edge of Gaddess's torso. "You've gone through enough. Come back. Come back where you belong."

How foolish she had been! How shameful, that she had dared to hurt him like this! Disgusted with herself, she eagerly obeyed him, blinking away her tears and rising from her cockpit seat. She kicked off, and began to float towards Cherudim's hand. Her heart burst with joy at the prospect of being forgiven and accepted – and understood – by the man she loved.

"Foolish humans."

"Anew?" said Lockon awkwardly, but he didn't get any further than that. Cherudim suddenly shook, exploding as the Gaddess slashed at the ring of GN Bits, obliterating them and sending their controller flying back. His eyes widened at the jarring, teeth-grinding impact. "Argh – !!" The GN Vulcans quickly severed the Gundam's legs, and with another merciless stroke, Cherudim was completely deprived of its four limbs, drifting silently as the Fangs inflicted blow after blow on the hapless Mobile Suit. "Anew, please! What are you doing?!" screamed Lockon, as Cherudim suffered another massive explosion to the head. "Anew!" he tried again, but she would not listen.

She _could_ not listen.

Despite its heavy damage, the Gaddess was not incapacitated. She calmly sat back into her seat and resumed her attack, seizing upon Lockon's depleted Trans-Am to best his smashed Gundam. "Innovators shall be the beings to guide humanity," she declared soullessly, and only then did Lockon notice, with shock and corresponding anguish, the shine of gold in her irises. "Yes. We who…"

"… are the zenith of existence, the Absolute." Ribbons Almark smiled in his private quarters, sitting back leisurely and watching this pathetic struggle fold out with his own eyes. They glowed in quantization as he assumed complete command of Anew Returner, speaking his mind through her voice on the battlefield. "I cannot stand to suffer our kind being equated with the likes of inferiors," he said disdainfully. "Permit me show you, with finality…"

"… the true difference in our power," smirked Anew, her yellow eyes responding dutifully to Almark.

Observing the wretched, quadriplegic form of Cherudim, Gaddess raised its sword, pausing for one moment. "_Perish_, Lockon Stratos!" Narrowing her eyes, Anew let out a sharp, determined battlecry, and hurtled towards him for a killing blow as red particles dispersed behind her Mobile Suit in a burst of unreserved power.

One thrust. One stab into his cockpit with that deadly straight blade… and it would all end. Despair overwhelmed a choking Lockon as the tip of Gaddess's weapon drew nearer and nearer. He had been so close. _They_ had been so close. What had they done to deserve this? Was even a covenant of love not enough to defy a terrible, predetermined fate?

"_Anew_!!"

In the immediate distance, Setsuna deployed Rifle Mode for 00's GN Sword II as he flew towards the two combatants. He aimed his scope at Gaddess's torso, in which Anew's exposed cockpit was housed.

"I'm sorry… Lyle. I'm sorry… Anew Returner."

His voice was a regretful murmur as his finger moved to press the trigger.


	18. Chapter 17: True Name, Shy Caress

"Make your milk sweet and thick, my bridegroom. / My shepherd, I will drink your fresh milk. / Wild bull, Dumuzi, make your milk sweet and thick. / I will drink your fresh milk. / Let the milk of the goat flow in my sheepfold. / Fill my holy churn with honey cheese. / Lord Dumuzi, I will drink your fresh milk.

"Now I will caress my high priest on the bed, / I will caress the faithful shepherd Dumuzi, / I will caress his loins, the shepherdship of the land, / I will decree a sweet fate for him."

– The Courtship of Inanna and Dumuzi

*

**Chapter 17: His True Name / Her Shy Caress**

Setsuna focused his scope on the exposed cockpit within the Gaddess and prepared to fire a killing shot as it lunged at the helpless Cherudim. "I'm sorry… Lyle," he muttered in remorse. "I'm sorry… Anew."

_No… that's not even Anew Returner_, he realized, his display screen reflecting the quantization in his eyes. The entity within that Mobile Suit was Ribbons Almark, who had seized control of her will through quantum brainwaves. He had somehow overridden her free volition and seized her body to commit an atrocity she could never conceive of herself – to stab her beloved with the Gaddess's sword. It may not have been her will, but it was most certainly her voice that screamed out a triumphant battlecry as she careened towards the critically damaged Cherudim. Her one-lunge thrust, propelled by her GN Tau Drive, was nanoseconds away from closing the final distance between her blade and Cherudim's cockpit.

Setsuna's finger tightened on the trigger of his clutch. There was no more time. He couldn't delay any longer. It was either her death, or Lockon's demise.

_Kill her_.

His eye twitched in uncertainty. To his confusion, the Gaddess had suddenly halted in mid-flight. It lifted its sword and tossed it away like a child discarding an unwanted bar of candy.

_Don't be fooled. Why are you hesitating_?

As the Innovator Mobile Suit glided within ten yards of Cherudim, it promptly lost momentum as the inauthentic solar furnace behind it decelerated its revolutions, whirring to a slower pace as the Mobile Suit stopped before an astonished Lockon.

Setsuna blinked. The subsequent silence was completely unexpected, almost awkward, as if something inappropriate had transpired between the combatants.

What had happened? Lockon stared upwards at Anew, who had pulled back her control gears and prevented Gaddess from plunging its GN Sword into Lyle's control room, and into his comparatively tiny body.

"Lyle?" she whispered in horror, her crimson eyes wide in fear and concern for his safety.

Her quantization had, somehow, been forcibly dissolved.

"A… Anew?" whispered Lockon. He stared at her beautiful, gentle, nurturing face, and his heart soared with hope as quickly as it had fallen into the abyss of desolation only just seconds earlier. "You… you're back… somehow?" he added awkwardly.

She stuttered hysterically, her gloved hands clutching at her helmet. "I… I…"

"Anew! Talk to me!" cried Lockon. "Was it – could it be – the quantum brainwaves Setsuna was talking about – "

Anew screamed, her face contorted in pain. Her head pounded and throbbed as something within was severed. The sinister, crested face of a living robot suddenly replaced her dying link to Ribbons. The bronze and silver creature laughed as it casually cut away her mental bond like a butcher slits the throat of squealing swine.

_How… intriguing_, it observed. _My Lord Megatron! It seems that this realm of quanta… provides our sparks with more freedom than we could have ever imagined_!

The mocking, terrifying countenance abruptly disappeared, and then came the void, the frightening, terrifying abyss of utter free will, as a mysterious force neither Innovator nor Autobot unshackled her dependence on her engineered heritage. Her brain scorched from the unpredicted, harrowing contact, she slumped against the back of her seat, moaning quietly before falling into a deathly silence.

_I… don't want to serve you, Ribbons. I… I want to be with Lyle_…

"Anew!" roared Lockon, leaping out from his cockpit and floating in the direction of his beloved. "_Anew_!!"

But she didn't reply. She had mysteriously fainted, oblivious to Lockon's cries as Setsuna, breathing a quiet sigh of relief, pulled back his clutch to lower 00's GN Sword. The Gundam soared towards the two ruined Mobile Suits, eager to retrieve the couple and bring them to the safety and repose of the mothership. "Are you alright, Lyle?" he asked, as his display screen zoomed in on a frantic Lockon cuddling a limp Anew in his arms amidst the backdrop of the destroyed Gaddess.

"No time for questions," said a desperate Lyle breathlessly, looking up at 00. "Come on, Setsuna. Let's get her to the ward."

There was no mistaking the engineer and co-pilot of the Ptolemaios. There was no mistaking her face, so sinister moments ago, now immersed in serene sleep.

Despite the unacceptably precarious nature of their most recent battle, the Meisters had succeeded in foiling the Innovators' plans. 00 and 0 Raiser remained in Celestial Being's hands, and perhaps just as importantly, Anew Returner had returned to her senses. How, Setsuna was not sure. But he was apprehensive – not of Anew, but of how she had been so easily used and discarded, evidently against her will. Just what had been powerful enough to sever a link between two fellow Innovators?

His eyes narrowed as he remembered Prime's words in the hangar. The Decepticons – there could be no one else. Drunk on triumph, they had unwittingly spared her from an ignoble, meaningless death at Setsuna's reluctant hands.

By a bizarre turn of events, Celestial Being had finally determined the location of the threat that lay waiting to crush humans, Autobots, and Innovators alike.

Veda.

_Everywhere_.

That the Decepticons' control extended this far – that they were essentially omnipresent – was an insight too terrifying to dwell on.

*

In his clandestine headquarters, Ribbons Almark had risen from his seat, his fists clenching slightly as he stared at nothing. It had been many decades since he had lost control of his emotions like this. "My link to Anew Returner was refused?!" he snarled furiously. "Impossible!"

First, Louise Halevy had been captured, followed by Revive Revival. Gaddess was destroyed, and Healing Care had failed to retrieve anything at all from Ptolemaios, let alone 00. And now this?

_Who could have possibly tampered with Veda… with my quantization_? He glanced to his side. _Regene Regetta? No, that's ludicrous. His power is merely a fraction of mine. But if it weren't an Innovator, could it have been an Autobot? _

_Or perhaps… a Decepticon? Have they infiltrated Veda itself_?

He glanced up, his eyes narrowing as he strode to the main hall. "It seems there is a foe of considerably greater influence than Celestial Being threatening Schenberg's plan… my plan." He entered the lift and it slowly rose up, taking him to convocation chamber. He closed his troubled eyes in meditation, rubbing his scalp lightly. Only now did he notice his severe headache.

"Humanity enters aeon after aeon of tribulation," he said quietly to himself, as if reciting a calming mantra. "Now it has reached a milestone; a test of its worth in the cosmic scheme of all things. The question is simple: is it strong enough, under my guidance, to survive these dialogues with our Cybertronian visitors and invaders?"

*

Stripped of her uniform and garbed in a sterile white robe, Anew lay beside Revive and Lasse in a recuperation capsule in the healing ward, watched over by a brooding Lockon as the Meisters, Saji and Ian stood around the three patients. Ian had wrapped a bandage around his head as he stared down at the three casualties. "This was all the Innovators' doing… and through my headache, I could hear the fight between the Autobots and this purple-haired one." He looked at Lockon. "Is she okay? You sure she won't shoot Lasse and take my daughter hostage again?"

"Oh, shut up," defended Lockon, but his voice wasn't sharp or angry, merely weary. "She's one of us. She's always been one of us. Something happened earlier that let someone else into her mind, to take over her brain." His right fist clenched even as his left rested on the glass of the transparent casket that held his resting love. "Innovators… Decepticons… whatever, mate. I'm going to beat all those bastards to a pulp for doing this to her."

"You go ahead and do that. But it is apparent that a new enemy… or perhaps I should say an even older enemy… has revealed their hidden but pervading presence in this solar system." Tieria stepped forward. "According to Optimus Prime, the Decepticons are to blame for Revive Revival's breakdown and may have even had something to do with the sudden change that overcame Miss Returner – that is, after she suddenly attacked you again."

"What the hell are these Decepticons trying?" muttered Lockon to himself.

"I believe we must postpone our plans to attack Lagrange 2. As we are now, we can't even try our hit-and-run sorties. We have a heavily damaged Cherudim. Three Gundams won't be enough to withstand the A-Laws defence at the moon," said Tieria, his sharp eyes peering at the sweating Revive, who mumbled and turned restlessly on his enclosed bed.

The monitor attached to the wall buzzed to life and displayed Prime's grim face. The crewmembers turned around as he spoke. "For now, we have accomplished two objectives, and that is the protection of 00 and the Ptolemaios, and Anew's rescue. For now, to keep the vulnerable safe is our first priority. As much as I would like to break through Lagrange 2 and to the Innovators' main command, our forces are further weakened by Lasse's incapacitation and our burden of civilians like Louise."

"I agree," said Sumeragi, who had taken half a step into the room. "Saji, will you mind staying with us to pilot 0 Raiser?"

Saji looked down at the ground. "I don't mind. As long as Louise is safe, I'll do my part to help end this struggle."

"I'm directing Ptolemaios to descend near London. We'll be lying low for a while to regroup, recover and recharge. Tieria… I must ask you for a big favour."

Tieria nodded. "I'll take over for Lasse," he confirmed, striding past Allelujah and heading towards the command room.

"Marie also asked if she could pilot the GN Archer," said Allelujah quietly. "But I don't want to see her fighting alongside us unless… unless it's somehow absolutely necessary to her."

Sumeragi turned to leave the sick bay, and Prime politely disconnected himself from the monitor. Setsuna looked at Ian and Lockon. "It was the Decepticons that invaded the mind of Revive Revival and the systems of the Autobots. I'm absolutely certain they did something to cut off Anew's link with… whoever was controlling her."

"The A-Laws and the Decepticons will soon go to war." Ian shrugged as the remaining Meisters looked at him in surprise. "Don't act like I made some breakthrough insight. This is going to be big, boys. The Innovators will fight tooth and nail to keep the world subjugated under them. The Federation forces will have their hands full in combating the Decepticons. So we can use this time, as Sumeragi said, to regain our bearings until we take on the enemy again… I hope."

"But from what's been happening around here, I'd be quite confident in saying that we – and the Innovators – are fighting damn gods. That's not exactly a healthy choice," grumbled Lockon, staring at Anew's tranquilly closed eyelids.

Setsuna made his way towards the door. He gave a short nod to Allelujah, Saji, and Ian, and they followed his cue. They departed from the room in respectful silence, leaving Lockon to his troubled but grateful thoughts as Anew continued to sleep beside Revive and Lasse.

*

_Two hours later_

Stepping out of her hot shower, a naked Sumeragi hurriedly wrapped a white towel around her lithe body as the crystal display monitor in her room beeped to life. She carefully walked out of her bathroom and towards her screen, her bare feet pressing the carpet and her slender legs dripping water on the ground. She took a comb by her tableside and stroked her damp, hazelnut hair. Sighing in reanimation from her refreshing bath, she pressed the receiver as she continued to massage her scalp. "Who's there?" she queried.

"Leesa." Only one member on board this ship would consistently address her by her true name so intimately. It was Prime. The resolution of the screen expanded, and she found herself staring into her fellow commander's robotic face. She smiled to herself. Were he a human male, perhaps she would have glimpsed a gentle shade of red creeping over his countenance as he gazed at her wet, half-bare form.

But that was little more than a playful fantasy from her subconscious.

"We are at a major disadvantage," he said, and for once, she detected a hint of urgency, or even impatience, in his voice. "The Innovators will soon move and pour all their energy into avenging their defeat. I can only imagine that the A-Laws will intensify their campaign against us. And surely you must be as concerned of the Decepticons as I am."

"I know you must feel frustrated that they've pre-empted both Celestial Being and the A-Laws," she replied. "But I'm afraid I must stand firmly by my strategy. We will initiate the contingency plan we discussed earlier only when I deem it absolutely necessary."

"We can seize the chance and defeat the forces at Lagrange 2," insisted Prime. "Don't you want us to recover Veda? Soran has the power. He and the other Gundam Meisters can defeat the Innovators, and perhaps even the Decepticons, too."

She shook her head. "They're just children, Optimus."

He beamed with heart-melting kindness. "But so are you, and you can achieve anything."

Now, if only _she_ was a robot, so that he couldn't see _her_ furious blush. "Are you… feeling better? The attack you suffered at Megatron's hands…"

"It was a most unexpected encounter. But the pain has subsided. Thank you."

"I heard from Bumblebee… you were really hurt," she said, her voice cracking slightly with worry. "I broke my promise to be there for you again."

"Please, don't say that. I don't want you to fear for me. I am here to serve you. Don't forget that." Prime glanced to his side, and Jetfire's muttering voice could be heard. His affable expression disappeared as he gazed at her again. "I trust your judgement, although I will not lie: I urge you to prepare for a counterattack as soon as possible. The longer we delay, the more catastrophic the fight between the Decepticons and the A-Laws will be. And before I forget, I suppose you haven't told anyone about our countermeasures?"

"Of course I haven't. With Veda missing, we've no choice but to keep our directives a secret between us until we're ready to execute them," said Sumeragi softly. "I need to fill you in on some of our new contacts. Can I get back to you in ten minutes?"

"Very well. I'll let you go now."

She raised a finger and pressed the "off" icon beside her, and they shared a warm smile before her screen deactivated.

*

Since his encounter with Starscream, he had faced battle after battle against the A-Laws and the Innovators, overcoming his past portion by wounded portion. He had proven his mastery against the best efforts of Ribbons Almark's followers, laid aside his discord with Mister Bushido, and was spared the unenviable duty of shooting an innocent Anew. Yet it brought him no comfort. For it was the Decepticons that had severed her link from Almark, which meant that their power had grown towards an inescapable apex. Their full-scale attack was imminent. It was only a matter of days… or perhaps even hours.

Setsuna strode purposefully in the direction of his bedroom. How fortunate, that he could manage to see _her_ again.

He stopped at his metal door, and it clicked in acknowledgement and slid open. He blinked reflexively as he felt two soothing hands reaching out and pulling him inside. His deep, brown eyes gazed into blue, Azadistani ones. The arms of Marina Ismail swept him into a caring embrace as she nervously raised herself on tiptoes to hold him closer.

"You've been waiting," he observed quietly. "My apologies."

"You wanted to see me. I could never refuse you." She lowered herself and shifted back slightly, unconsciously smoothing down her white dress. "I received your note," she said breathlessly. "Don't be upset with your decisions. You know, deep down, that Anew was not… _Anew_… when she tried to kill Lockon."

"I wouldn't have hesitated to shoot her," said Setsuna, lowering his head. "But looking back, I'm very relieved I didn't have to."

Marina looked up fretfully, worry etched into her womanly features. "These Decepticons. Everyone's talking about an impending war on a scale never before witnessed. And yet again, you've thrown yourself headlong into it."

"We've always been at war," he replied, attempting to ease her fear. "I can't stop now, Marina. You know that."

"You are burdened with sin, injured in body and soul." Her hands began to knead his chest, to massage his torso as his composed tone tugged at the yearning in her heart. "You're risking much more than just your life against these Decepticons. I cannot help wondering why our paths to redemption never intersect, despite the fact that we both desire the same thing. Even if peace is possible through enforcement – which I doubt very much – what happiness can such an uneasy future bring you?"

"You're a princess," he reminded her. "You'd know how insignificant your own life seems… when there are so many who depend on your strength."

"But that's not a reason to forget what Starscream nearly did to you – "

She stopped halfway through her protest, staring into his eyes in stupefaction as they began to lose their usual brown hue. Instead, they were replaced with an iridescent brilliance, swimming in his irises as they examined each other intently. "Set… Setsuna?" she whispered, unable to look away, entranced by his quantization's hypnotic kaleidoscope of colour. Her lips unexpectedly reddened in enthralled admiration and simultaneous fear – her sense of _mysterium tremendum_ had overtaken her, and Setsuna was the object of her sublime terror. "My – my God…"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier," he murmured, acknowledging her right to know of his remarkable evolution. He held her close in apology. "I told you I was changing… and this is what I've become. I don't know what this means for me… what this means for us. But please be assured that I'm growing into something capable of more than just killing and hurting. I am becoming something capable of understanding. Of healing and reconciliation."

Compelled by a mysterious but palpable emotion, he pushed a gentle forefinger against her parted lips. She visibly shuddered at the contact. "I am… changing, Marina," he muttered. "My consciousness is growing unlike anything I thought possible. 00 Raiser and the Autobots are helping me to change. They're giving me the power I need to help the world change, too. So I can't overlook the trust that's been imparted to me. I can't overlook the trust of my friends. Lyle and Anew's reunion is proof of that."

His eyes softened. "I'm sorry, but I can't let go of my burden just yet. In a way, you and I are similar to them. We seek to understand each other and our place in the world – "

"Setsuna F. Seiei," she cried, in an eruption of passion.

"Soran," he interrupted gently, and she stopped herself, staring at him.

"My name is Soran Ibrahim," he murmured, unable to resist confessing to her. "I have disappointed you already, but I can still promise one thing. My lies… my falsehood. It stops today."

He smiled a rare smile, a smile that peeled away his façade of aloofness and stoicism, leaving a frightened, unloved boy in its wake. "Marina Ismail… please call me by my true name from now on."

"Soran," she obeyed, her voice rising in desperation. "Soran!"

She took his wrist and pressed his finger against her lips harder, as if begging him to tell him more. And to his simultaneous shock and excitement, she clenched her eyes shut and wrapped her mouth around his finger, sucking him anxiously, savouring and worshipping the youth's taste, acquainting herself almost possessively with his boyish strength and protective care. He gazed at her in silence, unable to stop her lips, tongue and teeth from caressing him with an acutely poignant fondness. A surge of reverent desire coursed through him as she claimed him for herself in an amorous, entreating gesture. Gulping down an intake of breath, she swallowed and blushed furiously as she persisted in cradling his hand, its forefinger damp with her selfless rite of sexual love. She opened her mouth to plead with him again, fixating her blue eyes on his handsome face once more. "Surely I would know true misery were I to lose you. I cannot deny reality. You are nothing more than a fragile boy! A blessed soul encased in satin flesh and ceramic bone! You're no Gundam, you're no Transformer; you are nothing more than a human being, a beautiful and wounded human being – "

He suddenly drew down, hugging himself around her and hushing her protests with a powerful kiss. His hand lightly pulled against her night-black hair, and she did not even pretend to resist, resting against him and sifting her fingers through his mop of ebony. He held her shoulders firmly as she quietly nibbled at his lips and nose, scrabbling to help herself to him. Overcome with emotion, Setsuna's quantizing eyes blazed even brighter as their sense of urgency inflamed. In the heat of the moment, their nervous palms touched and clasped desperately. She whispered his real name again as she gazed upon him, dumbstruck. He fell silent. He did not dare to spoil the power of his surrender, her moment of triumph.

_Our journeys began in falsehood. We once denied we were lovers. _

_Now, we've found truth._

Their bodies entwined and locked, refusing to be separated; his arm shifted down to her hip, and he slowly lifted her to meet his lips, his sinewy arms supporting her trembling body.

"You're so light," he mumbled.

He began to cradle her more forcefully, pulling her almost roughly around him, and she eagerly yielded to his energy, meeting his potency with her own fiery craving. He almost staggered, reeling from the awakening that spread from his loins. Could anyone else caress him like the beauty that was Marina Ismail? As they locked in a firm, sensual cuddle, time in space seemed to halt, suspended in a saturated surge of erotic heat. Her toes curled in appreciation as they writhed amongst each other's limbs for several moments, their eyes shut tight in relish.

His voice was dry. "Marina…"

"S… Soran." Another moan from the princess, and her grip around his back tightened. "If Allah truly decrees that I must lose Azadistan itself… then I beg Him that He will at least allow me to keep you."

But it became too much for her. Her breathing scorching his skin, she gasped, briefly releasing herself from the Kurdish man's unbearably passionate kisses. She unsandwiched his lean midsection from the tight grip of her thighs, sliding down titillatingly against his feverish body. A quiet grunt of amazement from the Meister, and she moaned in fond agreement.

_Heart-to-heart_.

Her feet touching the floor again, she stared up at him, wide pools of deep cobalt reflecting a searing desire, before hurling herself at him for more of his hidden fervour, for more of his blistering power. He did not – would not – deny her. Several minutes passed in adoring silence as they discovered each other all over again. Her bosom swelled in pride and arousal at this young man that had been literally reborn in her cuddle. Her breasts hungered to be devoured by his mouth; her core was afire with an unprecedented determination to affirm him, to coax his blossoming in her spring garden of life.

She was visibly breathless when her rejoicing champion slowly raised himself from her neck and her collarbone. "Child of war," she whispered, her eyes shimmering with timid hope. "I adore you."

He blinked in silent fear of harming her, fragile as the raven-tressed belle was. His quantization had almost taken complete control of his impulses and his strengthened body. His usual restraint and detachment had failed him this time, especially when it was Marina that had enveloped him in her arms, refusing to separate from him until he gave her an answer. It would be a silent answer, one that was more expressive than the most eloquent of words.

"Stay with me," he pleaded plainly, drawing close to her bosom and kissing it lightly. "Before I must fight again."

She looked away, gritting her teeth to restrain herself from crying out aloud. "Surely your struggle needn't be so tragic. Please, let me help you find some glimmer of happiness within you, so we may share it with the world together."

"I understand. Teach me, Marina." His hand found her cheek and directed her to look at him again, but their shy eyes fluttered shut as soon as their foreheads touched. Her flushed lips rose and brushed across his face, and she repeatedly kissed his brow and his eyelashes in an outburst of expressive need, gasping in curiosity as he clasped her slender waist and pulled her against him insistently. "Teach me what you know," hissed the true Innovator. "Help me… to learn the melody of peace."

With that, he stepped back three paces and fell onto his bed, taking his thrilled princess with him. They had finally bared their scars and surrendered their hesitations. Her inexperienced fingers fumbled anxiously at the buttons on his shirt, impatient to stroke and fondle his lean frame. Their lips reunited with an obsessive devotion, and as he started to slip off her thin fabric, revealing petite, rounded shoulders, she suddenly recalled one of her favourite poems, penned by an ancient mystic called Rumi. She would often reflect on his inspiring and moving verses during her younger years in the palace. It was now Setsuna who retrieved those fond memories as his Innovator eyes glimmered with a warrior's passion for a sultan's daughter.

"_The Lovers / will drink wine night and day. / They will drink until they can / tear away the veils of intellect and / melt away the layers of shame and modesty. / When in Love, / body, mind, heart and soul don't even exist. / Become this, / fall in Love, and you will not be separated again_."

*

_Lagrange 2 reinforcement fleet_

"Arthur Goodman has been killed, and now this," whispered Kati Mannequin, her gloved fist clenching as her mothership slowly powered itself towards the moon's surrounding A-Laws armada. News of the heavy losses they had suffered – along with the capture of Louise Halevy and the defeat of the licensed fighter, Mister Bushido. Furthermore, Captain Healing Care had returned empty-handed, and Captain Revive Revival was missing in action. Was this all Celestial Being's doing… along with the Autobots? She had only glimpsed their power over the sands of the Middle East, where they had laid waste to the land forces of the Federation. So they had been responsible for everything up to now, along with those accursed Gundams! "How far will they go? And especially…"

"Colonel! Colonel! Colonel! Colonel!"

A swaggering, auburn man in a deep green uniform placed a hand on the back of the field commander's seat, much to the latter's irritation. His manly but unbelievably annoying voice echoed throughout the tactical room. "I'm ready for battle! As ready as I can ever be! Give me a new Mobile Suit so I can show off my ace – "

"Shut up!" snapped Kati, and Patrick Colasour quailed, startled and crestfallen. A pathetic, boyish tear began to leak from his left eye as she glared at him. Only a shout from her adjutant lieutenant prompted her to lift her death stare from her boyfriend and glance to her left. "What is it now?"

"It seems we're receiving transmissions from several sectors, commander. New York, Beijing, and Zurich. The security dispatches in all three non-combat zones seem to be trying to reach us. I'm putting them up on the main display."

Kati's eyes narrowed. The three screens that flashed into existence before the flagship crew were visually impossible to make out. Heads turned and eyes widened at the garbled but discernable explosions that were audible in the distant backdrop of the three windows. She shifted forward slightly, unable to make out anything from the black and white static. Why in God's name could screaming be heard?

"What's going on?" she asked severely. "Don't waste my time. What's your status?"

A crackle of recognition shook the speakers after several moments of strained silence.

"Commander! Commander Mannequin!" came a faint but evidently panicking male voice. "This is the fifth security division in Madison Avenue. Our comrades, our sixth detachment… we're under attack by unidentified robotic forces!"

Beside her, Patrick's demeanour turned noticeably more serious, and he leaned forward, listening in. "What?" asked Kati, her eye twitching incredulously. "Federation security is impeccable. Across the world, all divisions have already received orders to mobilize for further Autobot attacks. Why didn't you report in to me earlier?"

"These – these aren't the Autobots our generals identified," came the terrified reply. "We were conducting our routine monitoring when we suddenly lost contact with our patrol squads. And then… our… our machines attacked us!"

"You lost contact with the city's forces?" barked Kati. "Impossible! Give me something to work with! How many of them are there? What weapons are they using?"

"They're… they're everywhere! Their weapons are reducing the entire vicinity to nothing! Our bullets are bouncing off them; they're not even flinching! We have no idea where these new drones came from… we need backup! I called in the National Guard, but we'll require reinforcements from the army – " Another bloodcurdling shriek drowned out the breathless officer's pleas, and before Kati could interrupt him, an explosion thundered through the speakers, and the transmission was silenced.

Just as a sense of bewilderment and dread descended on the crew of the mothership, the screen from Beijing finally focused itself, and Patrick's blue eyes widened at the widespread carnage reflected on the visual. "What… what the…" he breathed.

A panorama of civilian corpses littered the foggy Tiananmen Square, blending in awkwardly with a sea of dead Federation guards. In the ocean of Chinese bodies, several large masses of metal lumbered towards the smoking ruins of the Forbidden City, their growling accentuating the eerie quietude that pervaded the transmission. But before Patrick could shake away the horror of the demolition that had befallen Beijing, the display from Zurich came into focus, promptly exhibiting the renowned Swiss metropolis's National Museum exploding into shards of concrete, glass and metal. The fiery roar from the inferno was deafening and startled several crewmembers who had been rooted to their seats. But as the fire raged throughout the scorched roadside and beside the wreckages of overturned cars and buses, it became evident that it was no random act of arson. Several shadows loomed up before the camera their dark mechanical silhouettes unmistakable as they clutched the limp carcasses of several headless human beings, vermillion gore pouring through their metal fingers. The rest… was silence. All that remained were the visuals.

Kati struggled to articulate her disbelief. "Ludicrous."

Without warning, a chilling, unknown orator bellowed two words through the speakers, his deep, menacing voice tearing through the frequencies of the starships as well as the stations on Earth. It seemed to resonate across the entire planet, across all nations, cities, provinces, states, prefectures, districts, counties and towns. Not even the individual homes of small, terrified families were exempted.

"_Decepticons, attack_!"

A disturbed muttering grew amongst the mothership crew as they stared in repulsion and dismay at the decimation and butchery flashing on the three screens. "Ridiculous," whispered Kati. "How was it possible for us to be caught unawares?"

_There was no detection of any invasion coming from beyond the moon or Mars_, she thought._ How could we have overlooked such a massive, coordinated offensive? Unless… that unfortunate officer in Madison Avenue was right: that the slaughter began _within_ the cities themselves_?

_If they're not Autobots, whom the devil are we fighting? So-called Decepticons_?

A communications private turned around on his swivel chair, his eyes wide in alarm. "Commander, I've received a transmission from Washington D.C, Berlin and St. Petersburg! The Federation high command has determined that the invaders are hostile aliens from Cybertron."

"Commander, we have three incoming transmissions from Montreal, Mumbai and Buenos Aires. They're under attack by Cybertronian forces, as well."

"We're receiving distress calls from Sydney, Osaka, Amsterdam and Rome!" called another ensign. "Contact with Xi'an, Jakarta, and Manila has been severed, as well! We've attempted to contact every leader of the Earth-Sphere Federation, but there hasn't been any response at all." His screen filled with red as the green diagram of a spinning globe disappeared under a blanket of teeming red.

Code:_ critical danger_.

The ensign's eyes widened. "Everything – everywhere…"

Yet another petrified soldier reported in as the screens around him reverted to static. "All normal frequencies are down, commander Mannequin! Something inside the Internet has hacked and sabotaged the global telecommunications system. We can't get in contact with the Atlantic navy and air force!"

"Contact with the Pacific fleet has also been shut down. Communications with the Baltic armada are down. Nevermind Africa or the Middle East, even Europe's land and sea bases are unreachable. If we can't get to them, then they probably can't get to us, either," barked a visibly sweating sergeant.

"Does that mean… _all_ of them are under attack?" A standing lieutenant turned around, his lip trembling. "Are we … becoming isolated?"

"Come in! Please respond. Anyone?" cried a female corporal, as her shrill voice joined the rising cacophony. "Ma'am, all our forces on Earth – Federation and Autonomous Peacekeepers alike – might well have suffered a premeditated, wide-reaching sabotage!"

Kati stared into the static screens as the command room rapidly descended into disarray and pandemonium. She didn't even bother to shout for order above the hysterical commotion. Patrick floated from her side to investigate the appeals from the other nations on Earth. Her fists clenched until her nails dug through her gloves and into her palms. She bit her lip until a trickle of blood emerged.

Somehow, somewhere in this war against Celestial Being, something had spiraled completely out of control.

"What the hell is happening?" she whispered helplessly.

*

On a day that would come to be known as the Day of the Machines, Transformers awakened across the world. Cybertronian drones of all shapes and sizes, technological and vehicular forms responded to the call of the darkly charismatic and compelling Lord High Protector. The Megatron that rallied the dormant Earthen machines was no longer a raving traitor manipulated by The Fallen. That was but three centuries ago. Megatron was now but _himself_, immersed in the power of Veda. Aeolia Schenberg's magnum opus had been turned against humankind. Thanks to its ubiquitous power, Megatron's influence and presence now encompassed all life on Earth. His petrifying majesty seeped through every operational machine and stirred them to the might of the All Spark within him. And they responded eagerly, rousing themselves and transforming on the spot to fight for their long-awaited Lord.

The first step had naturally been to destroy the humans' command centres and Mobile Suit production facilities before they could rally a worldwide retaliation. The lessons of three hundred years ago had been learnt. The tanks, fighter jets, submarines, aircraft carriers and bombers that were once under human control now took to their respective battlefields, turning against their former Federation directors with a ferocious vengeance. Many awakened within military storage warehouses, sweeping up bewildered mechanics and engineers and tossing them aside like infants' toys. Others savagely attacked the unprepared military vanguards in the midst of their petty war games. The Federation armies had striven so doggedly to match the technological superiority of the Gundams, only to be incapacitated by their own machines in the ensuing bedlam. Out at sea, an entire naval fleet was sunk into the blue depths by an aircraft carrier that suddenly transformed into a metallic, demonic leviathan. In the sky, a squadron of Aheads was incinerated into nothingness when their aerial escorts surrounded them and unleashed a hail of missiles and plasma into their ranks.

Veda had been reduced to a demonic tool for demonic masters.

Elsewhere, the hordes swept across the spires, the skyscrapers, the lanes and avenues of the common people. They were born in the streets amongst screaming, fleeing fleshlings, or inside a household amongst bawling children and incredulous caretakers. Roofs were lifted from their walls; apartment blocs were toppled to their foundations. The mechanical warriors spared no infant, toddler, or family, and the roads were inundated, flooded with gore, as residential, industrial, and military sectors alike quaked from the catastrophic, implacable assault.

The Americas. Africa. Europe. Asia. Oceania. Metal beings, hidden and asleep for an eternity of three hundred years, now awakened around the entire globe. Young and old robots alike joined the bloody mayhem with murderous enthusiasm. In one sweeping, momentous moment, planet Earth found itself under a calamitous invasion from an endless horde of Decepticons and drones that sought to pave the way for their masters' arrival.

Its greatest hope for survival now lay amongst a descending starship that had broken through the atmosphere, and was bearing directly for the besieged city of London.

Ptolemaios II.

Autobots.

Celestial Being.

The faint, glimmering light descended on the ineffable darkness that had fallen upon the Earth-Sphere Federation.

*

A/N: I hope the romantic dialogue isn't too corny to your taste. :P Sometimes we forget that people's most significant milestones often occur during private moments of love or religious experience. I believe this also applies even to superheroes we admire, like Setsuna. Of course, I'm not discounting the importance of his battles, where he discovers his new abilities as an Innovator and as the centre of the Earth-Cybertron dialogues. The milestones in his healing and communicative power also extend to the Autobots, so technically TF 00 quantization can be even more potent than in canon 00. The possibilities here are seriously limitless. O.o

P.S. I'm not a major shipper of any couple, I go with what my heart tells me is meaningful for the messages I'm trying to express in the story.

P.P.S. The full name of this chapter is His True Name / Her Shy Caress, as indicated in the title at the very beginning. I changed it to True Name, Shy Caress in the chapter list because won't let me add the /, forcing me to end up with "His True NameHer Shy Caress." -.- It doesn't have the same aesthetic as I wanted (it actually looks more like a typo), hence the change.


	19. Chapter 18: Hearth and Home

A/N: There is nothing explicit or graphic in this chapter. I do hope that there is something sensual in here, though.

*

"To love you is to sing with you, weep with you, pray with you, and recreate the world by your side."

– Marina Ismail, to Setsuna F. Seiei

*

**Chapter 18: Hearth and Home**

"Massive armies of autonomous robots are launching a surprise invasion against all major cities of the world, Master Almark. There are hundreds of thousands of them, of all bizarre forms and sizes. We calculate that New York, Zurich, and Beijing were the first to succumb to the alien attacks. Other cities like Johannesburg, Hong Kong and Paris are rapidly descending into anarchy, along with their geographical neighbours." The messenger's voice over the transmitter was calm but urgent. "Every moment, more reports are pouring in from other sectors of the planet. We did not expect such a coordinated assault within the human cities. The Federation Army, with support from the A-Laws, are regrouping and deploying as instructed by Katagiri. But they will not last; we await your orders for an effective counterattack."

Ribbons smiled. "Remain calm. Fright will get us nowhere fast. Summon all available Federation land, air and sea forces to contain the Cybertronian attacks. Instruct the Lagrange 2 defences to hold their position. Amidst this turmoil, an attack will be directed against the moon before long. Until then, prepare the GN Drive Tau Cartridge System. Mobilize the GN Rail Beam Cannon and the colony cruiser's main force. We will standby until I order otherwise."

"Copy that."

The transmission ended, and Almark rose from his sofa. "I have waited a long time for this providential moment in history. You Decepticons have finally revealed yourselves beyond your meddlesome quantizing," he murmured softly. "It has begun. The human world, set against a Cybertronian invasion. And now, Celestial Being and Soran Ibrahim will also join the fray. Aeolia Schenberg once predicted that should humanity face hostile invaders, his final, shadowy legacy would save us from them. And so here I stand, ready to fulfill – and transcend – that legacy.

"It has come time for me, Ribbons Almark, to bring salvation to the world."

"Hello, Ribbons," came Regene Regetta's calm voice. Garbed in his flowing white outfit, the Innovator agent drew up behind his leader, aiming his drawn pistol directly at the crown of his head. "I'm afraid you'll have to hold that thought – indefinitely."

A loud gunshot rang out through the convocation chamber.

"Such bold-faced, arrogant bravado." Almark closed his eyes scornfully as a wide-eyed Regene collapsed, the traitor's lungs punctured by the bullet from a pistol in the hand of a Bring Stabity clone. The doppelganger soldier remained in the darkness underneath the winding staircase, loyally waiting for Almark's orders. The lime-haired man stood up. "Very soon, we shall come under attack. I expect you and the others to be fully ready. Do you understand?"

Bring Stabity saluted silently and strode out of the hall, leaving Almark to his megalomaniacal meditations.

*

The world had suffered an invasion planned for three centuries by merciless, ancient foes, but the atmosphere on board the Ptolemaios was anything but frantic. If anything, it was almost stiflingly tranquil. In particular, Optimus Prime was remarkably unruffled, even in the wake of the suffering the Autobots had endured when the Decepticons attacked them via quantization. His spark could already detect the slaughter being perpetuated across the blue and green planet. On each instance he closed his optics, he could glimpse different pieces of the nightmarish puzzle, diverse manifestations of bloodshed and terror within his system's eye.

Even now, he saw it. Above a cosmopolitan mountain of fleshling corpses stood a lone, demonic drone with repulsive, deformed, metal wings. Its optical sensors glinted behind a mask of cold blue. It clicked soullessly, glancing around for survivors.

There were none.

It raised its lanky arm, clenching its hand, and a horde of robots behind it surged across the Korean peninsula. Others swarmed into the Russian cities. They overwhelmed the Pacific fleets and seized city after American city. More titanic shadows loomed over the spires of the former Advanced European Union, their insectoid optics and lens glowing. The message was the same across the world, far and wide. Across every peninsula and majestic continent, unbounded by neither landscape nor seascape, the Decepticons rose to their masters' call. They rose to Starscream's triumphant cry.

And ultimately, they rose to Megatron's exultant bellow.

Despite the vile sensation of Veda's corruption within him, Prime kept quiet, focusing on finalizing Sumeragi's countermeasures against the overwhelming invasion. Bumblebee could not help noticing his commander's unsettling calm as he stood beside his fellow Autobots in the hangar bay, unsmilingly discussing their battle formation upon touchdown. The elderly, ebony Jetfire towered over the rest of the crew, and his gargantuan hand gripped his metal cane tightly as he glared harshly at the red and blue robot. "In this game of chess, Optimus, you have sixteen pieces and Megatron sixteen million."

"I will have sixteen billion," growled Prime. "I will have the strength of every freedom-loving sentient being on this planet."

"Still, I have to give it to the scum," muttered Ironhide, as Ratchet glanced at Ian and Saji, who worked feverishly at repairing Cherudim some distance away. "Their enormous lust for Veda has rendered them far more cunning and ingenious than I could ever bring myself to believe. It's become their ambrosia. They're certain they can conquer the universe with this new power."

"We won't merely watch from here, from this spacecraft," murmured Prime. "We won't simply watch the broken humans. We will fight. And we will overcome."

"Just what have you got planned?" echoed Lockon's voice across the hangar, as he, Allelujah and Setsuna, led by Sumeragi, descended into the bay by elevator. The Irish pilot tried to maintain a nonchalant face, but the stress of Anew's comatose state and the global Decepticon attack had taken an evident toll on his patience and constitution. "So much for regrouping, recovering and recharging."

"Our greatest impediment is Cherudim." Setsuna looked grimly at the Autobots. "We can't be reckless. With the world as it is now… what do the Innovators intend at this crucial point?" He clenched his fist. "Earth is under attack. I will fight, like Optimus wants. But Tieria is staying behind to take Lasse's place, and Ptolemaios needs Seravee Gundam's protection. Allelujah, will you come with me to London?"

Allelujah nodded. "Of course."

"We Autobots will come with you, child," said Jetfire. "We will help the humans crush the Decepticons whilst Ptolemaios lies low beyond the city's outskirts."

"How long must we fight without Lockon's backup?" asked Allelujah.

"One day," chimed in Ian, shouting from Cherudim's hand. "In situations like these, I highly recommend sending GN Archer and 0 Raiser out to join Arios and 00."

Allelujah faltered. "Then that means… Marie will have to join the vanguard."

"That means," corrected Ironhide brusquely, "we have to ensure the Decepticons are continuously blown into scrapmetal for at least twenty four Earthen hours."

"You're amazingly calm, Ma'am Sumeragi," observed Bumblebee suddenly, as she positioned herself beside Allelujah. "You and Optimus are starting to creep me out, as much as I love cool, collected commanders. This approach we have is pretty… desperate, after all."

"Not quite, Bumblebee. We haven't been standing passively aside. Ever since the Memento Mori's attack against Suille and Operation Lifebringer, Optimus and I have been gathering contingency reinforcements for a possible struggle like this. We told no one except our collaborators due to the plan's 'last-resort' nature." She gazed up into Prime's optics. "I'm glad for the foresight of your countermeasures. It seems there's no other choice. With the Decepticons having launched such a systematic invasion, we have to counter with everything we have. Together with our allies, we'll win back the cities from them, square foot by square foot, inch by inch."

"Heartbeat by heartbeat, sparkpulse by sparkpulse," agreed Prime. "When Ptolemaios lands, my comrades and I will join the London battle."

"You've recruited allies, Sumeragi?" asked Setsuna.

Ratchet perked up, intrigued. "Whom might you be referring to, Ma'am?"

She slowly reached for her satellite transmitter, one of the few tools that could receive and transmit frequencies without the aid of the disabled global network. She activated it with the press of a switch and placed it to her mouth. The directives that proceeded from her lips would catch many around her by surprise.

"It's time, Wild Bear of Russia," she declared, smiling slightly at the Meisters' astonished faces. "I know it must feel slightly awkward fighting alongside us for the first time. But if you can corroborate our information about the Autobots, then you can certainly believe in Celestial Being to some extent. Am I correct?"

*

Sumeragi's faint message was slightly garbled but still intelligible, although in many ways, Sergei Smirnov wished that it wasn't. "I know it mustn't sit right, fighting with Celestial Being after having us as your opponents for so long. It was truly my honour to know your true name after a four-year lull. Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots, has offered his unconditional and unequivocal assistance for this operation. He will lead his troops on the frontlines against the Decepticons in London. Will you bear with us for the meantime? I understand if you're still suspicious of our intentions towards the Federation. Please rest assured – "`

"I suppose I've already agreed to this, haven't I? Somehow." In an underground bunker beneath the burning capital of Moscow, Sergei nodded sternly, ending her message through a remote tuner. He rubbed his weathered, scarred face tiredly, allowing himself a generous lungful of pongy, subterranean air. His Federation officer's uniform was dusty, smeared with dirt and grime. But this was what the middle-aged veteran preferred. The true field of battle was a welcome change from the stifling, authoritarian prison of the A-Laws and higher Federation officials.

And as far as he was concerned, he didn't intend to return to that choking atmosphere of deception again.

_Still, of all people… I can't believe I actually agreed to work alongside Celestial Being to defeat these Decepticons. Can I really trust the information that those agents have given me?_

_Flora and Vincent… I will trust my instinct about you two… for now_.

He shrugged away his doubts and reactivated his tuner with a calloused finger. The voice of a stalwart soldier crackled through, asking for orders. Sergei could not help smirking almost pensively as he spoke four words into its speaker.

"Take no prisoners, gentlemen."

*

The sun was beaming, and it was a beautiful day.

A perfect day, in fact, for an insurrection.

On a Federation flagship in Athens, a bearded Pang Hercules picked up his radiotelephone, surrounded by loyalists who had seized advantage of the worldwide confusion to take the hosts of the ship deck hostage. "Klaus Grado. Shirin Bakhtiar. Celestial Being, Sergei and I are all in position. Our forces await your joint offensive with us. I understand that you're still recovering from the heavy losses your armies suffered during the Suille tragedy. So with gratitude in my heart, I thank you dearly for your tireless contributions."

"Don't mention it, Mr. Hercules," came Klaus's reply. "The survival of humankind exceeds all priorities. I have your coordinates. Is the situation at your end stable?"

Adjusting his brown trenchcoat, Hercules glanced to his side. His troops did not lift their rifles away from the silent seamen and admiral, who had their hands raised high into the air and the backs turned to the walls of the ship. "Don't worry. I don't think these gentlemen will be contacting the A-Laws anytime soon. But if the higher-ups knew any sense, they would join us and lend their strength and resolve to fight this extraterrestrial onslaught. Their oversight has led to this disaster. I can't look away any longer."

He pursed his lips, taking a deep breath. No longer did he care about his own life. In such desperate moments, only the struggle to liberate his beloved world mattered.

He turned around briefly, glancing at a pale, dark-haired man and his blonde, silver-eyed wife. They were both neatly outfitted in their Federation attire, but their loyalties no longer lay with the powers that be. "I can't thank you enough for the information you provided us… agents Vincent and Flora Valentine," said Hercules. He paused in slight guilt. "There's no turning back for your family now. I hope you realize that."

"We understand, general," said Flora pleasantly, silver eyes shining. "My husband and I have resolved to abandon what cannot be excused. We have chosen to ally with those who will defy evil regardless of the consequences they are threatened with. That is the test of a true patriot." She looked at her narrow-eyed Vincent, who nodded in agreement.

Pang Hercules smiled gratefully. He pressed a toggle before him and began to broadcast a message into the intercom. He took a deep breath, and began to speak.

"All Federation resistance forces. Protect your cities and your people. The time has come to defend hearth and home from invasion."

*

_London. Trafalgar Square_

A Dropkick drone hurled aside an infant's chubby corpse and lumbered towards the whittled detachment of Federation soldiers that fought desperately to hold back the robots that sought to destroy Nelson's Column. A handful of elite troops had positioned themselves behind a circular hill of sandbags around the ancient landmark, firing relentlessly at the advancing drones that closed in on the roadways after having demolished the National Gallery. The symbolism of the whole pinch was somewhat ironic. The outdated ways of the old leaders should have passed away with the archaic world long ago, yet humanity still strove to keep its ancient cobwebs of history alive. Even in the midst of the Cybertronian invasion, Nelson's Column served as the rallying centre for the surviving troops, the last stand on which they would fight to the death.

The robots that transformed from cars had engaged two Aheads, shooting them down and swarming over them when they attempted to wield their lances in melee combat. Another Mobile Suit collapsed, punctured by several dozen missiles from the Class Alpha Drones that circled above the city like ravenous vultures. Once under the control of the dead Decepticon Dreadwing, these clones now belonged to Starscream, who had wasted no time in deploying them en masse to infiltrate Earth's air force. The colossal aerial fighters now proceeded to decimate London's urban sectors, with the sole exception of Trafalgar Square and Westminster, where the remaining Federation divisions resisted the robotic advance bitterly and ferociously.

A lieutenant shot up from behind the sandbags and fired several shots at a crimson Swindle drone with a head of a large lens. "This is an unusual scenario, eh? Major Bruce Lennox. I never imagined commander Smirnov would assign you here. I thought your heart and soul were rooted in Mission City and its environs."

"I don't live in ancient history, my friend." The clean-shaven, remote descendant of William Lennox gave a gritty grin, his green eyes glinting. Garbed in a smeared uniform of the Federation, his cap had fallen away from his untidy mop of chestnut hair. He glanced at a looming van that was slowly transforming into a horned monitor beast and fired a cartridge of bullets at its lens-head. "I called bullshit the moment the news tried to pass off the Autobots as the invaders. Only the Decepticons could muster ugly critters like these!" A missile screamed from the forearm of a soaring Alpha, shooting directly for Nelson's Column, and Lennox calmly lifted up a sleek, powerful RPG launcher and aimed it upwards. "Courtesy of an old family favourite – incendiary rockets!" snarled the officer, and the projectiles met, exploding in a fireworks display of burning embers and charred shrapnel. He swore to himself as he glimpsed a fleeing woman crushed into a pulp within the claws of an emotionless drone. The dark, blue and white Decepticon turned towards the ruins of Canada House, but an angry shot from Lennox's upgraded launcher sent it sprawling to the ground. It rose, its arm partly severed as its comrades swarmed over a downed, struggling Ahead, punching through its torso and instantly slaying the pilot within.

Suddenly, Lennox sensed a large object descending from the sky. He glanced up into the polluted firmament, and his eyes widened. An enormous transport carrier had entered Earth's atmosphere, its GN Particles dancing around it like a giant, oversized halo. The hull was white, whilst its tall top was blue. Its frontal, linear catapults also lent the spacecraft an unusual shape, indicating that it was specifically constructed to house, protect, and dispatch smaller units.

"Gundams," he muttered.

"Someone you recognize, sir?" asked the lieutenant, as his subordinates continued to fire frenziedly at the robots' advance guard. One of his soldiers groaned and slumped, his shoulder punctured by a Decepticon gattling bullet that had come from beyond the body-littered plaza. "I'm praying to the Lord that they're reinforcements. Please say they're reinforcements, Bruce."

"It's Celestial Being," barked an encouraged Lennox, his smile broadening. He lobbed a grenade over his sandbag. It descended upon the wreckage of an upturned van, and a deafening blast and roar of frustration resounded from the direction of the gigantic drone. "I don't know what their plan is, but as long as they're coming to give us a hand, it's all I need to know. Gundam? Mobile Unit? Any help is welcome help." He pressed his back securely against the improvised barricade, licking his lips as he hastily reloaded.

"My forefathers fought things pretty damn similar to these Decepticon proxies. I can't let them outshine us! Let's do this, boys. Let's show our approaching Autobot friends how far we've come."

*

Ptolemaios had landed, and Feldt had activated the ship's cloaking device. For now, they could remain unnoticed whilst Cherudim was being repaired. The first phase of the mission was beginning. However, Setsuna didn't bother asking Sumeragi how she managed to convince the former Colonel of the Human Reform League, now the Mobile Suit Squad Commander of the Federation, to aid Celestial Being and Katharon. His commander's constant counsel with Optimus Prime was rather inscrutable but admittedly very productive. All that remained for the Meisters was to fulfill their end of the bargain, to play their part in the operation.

But his hands, fresh from wandering her hills and sanctuaries, were not prepared for war.

He laid his two gloved palms on his throttle side-sticks, staring straight ahead as 00 Gundam was lifted towards the hatch passageway. He tried earnestly to concentrate on the mission at hand, but his efforts were unsuccessful. Marina Ismail's amorous words echoed time after time in his head, and it was no surprise: they were the words she had moaned aloud during their lovemaking, before she had kissed him whilst a tear fled from her tightly clenched eyes.

"_You are so very precious to me, Soran. So please come back, safe and sound_."

*

_Her demure moans wandered across his room like scattered nebulae, her delicate Persian skin glowing in health and life like the distant constellations of the galaxies beyond the Orbital Elevators. She straddled the Kurdish Innovator snugly, panting and beaming down at him in celebration of their newfound ecstasy. He silently readjusted himself within her, earning another erotic purr of approval. She uttered his name again, gasping for him to play with her. He obeyed, lifting her lithe body up as he turned over, easing her back onto his bed and coming down upon her soft, arched form. She laughed, thrilled but rather nervous about the whole deed. They gazed at each other timidly, and his shimmering, quantizing eyes inflamed. _

_What did he think? Was he pleased with what he saw, with whom he cradled? _

_What did she think? Was she satisfied by whom she had chosen to love?_

_Her supple nudity was authentic, honest, and glorious. It lent even more majesty and queenliness to the woman of twenty-nine summers, but it also made her infinitely vulnerable. That openness was reflected in her eyes as her nails dug lightly into his flesh, unwilling to release him lest he run away. He did not. He might have committed many a grave sin in his past, but he was not so foolish as to flee from the salvation she offered. _

_She offered it with her affirming arms, with her human caresses. But for now, she had lost herself in his vigorous ardour. There was no relenting. They had come too far to stop themselves, and needless to say, they had surprised themselves with the sway of their mutual desire. _

_Marina compliantly and demurely lifted her slender legs past her flushed face as Setsuna pushed against her hips with greater strength. A gentle groan from the young man encouraged her to meet his desire with a moan of her own. Her suspended bare feet brushed lightly against the wall behind her, and she clenched her eyes and teeth tightly in blushing delight as his deepening entry quickened attentively and comfortably. Her obedience was an indulgent reward for his thoughtful and considerate pace, but it also expressed her rejoicing at his determination to please her with his fullness. His handsome, ropy muscles were noticeable, from his firm shoulders to his trained abdominals, but he gave her much more than mere physical excellence. The younger man guided her through their intensifying affection with patience and tenderness. Even an unpracticed woman such as herself knew that his expertise was unusually masterly… unusually stunning. The wild thought occurred to her that it might really have something to do with the evolution evident in his glowing irises. There seemed no limit to the nurturing, healing power gathering within him. With each intimate surge of pleasure that suffused her, he taught her new worlds to explore and treasure within her temple, within her sanctum. He might have liked to think of himself as an atheist, but to her, his body and his heart were nothing less than holy, for with his hands, he had sculpted her into a sacred and adored woman._

"_I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you," she whispered euphorically, staring up at him as he pulled back her legs, so that his smooth torso pressed against her bosom firmly. _

"_Marina," he gritted. He kissed her more recklessly, and she felt herself consumed with wonder at his requited exhilaration. _

_They continued to make blissful love for several more minutes in heavy silence, which was occasionally broken by her soft mewl, or by his groan. How long had it been since they began their adventure? Twenty? Thirty? An hour? It didn't truly matter. She was too absorbed the throes of rapture to communicate her gratitude coherently. The least she could do was to let him know how frantically she desired to belong to him._

_He scooped her against his lusty physique harder, grunting quietly as their grip on one another tightened. She twitched against him, unable to resist a triumphant cry of appreciation. The stirring, self-giving warmth that finally flowed from him to her indicated the explosive culmination of his love, and he relaxed into her doting arms, momentarily helpless. He continued to share in her cuddle, allowing his mistress to calm his hammering heart and playfully lick away the sweat on his noble, Arab skin._

_She could not help laughing nervously again. She had never seen her sweet beloved so exhausted before, not even after the struggles in 00 Raiser._

_They shared another bashful gaze, although he managed to hide his embarrassment better than she. Wild questions flooded though his head, though he dared not ask her for the answers. No matter. Her cheeks were flushed as he thanked her with a strong kiss. She moaned in surprise, breathless and enraptured. How much more could he give? Who could have predicted his delicious mouth would have reduced her to this trembling, sighing wreck, whose willowy fingers found a new world, a new planet to wander across? _

"_You are a brave gentleman," she whispered, generously and kindly. "Thank you for showing me… your quantum eyes." _

_They reposed in each other's arms to regain their breath, their gentle communion tempering their fierce passion. He drew down and lightly nibbled her navel, eliciting a renewed titter from the woman. Despite the ample lovemaking he had enchanted her with, she still felt slightly nervous. How dearly she hoped that he found every portion of her lovable! He lifted himself away from her raised legs, sitting on the side of his bed as she obediently lowered her toes and turned to recline beside him. Her black hair spilled out across his pillow and blanket. "I beg of you. Don't leave me." He nodded as he took her hand, guiding it along his arm as she stroked his bicep, her fingers returning for more of his texture, for more of his corporeality. _

_The loss of their virginity had helped them to touch something cosmic. There existed a wonderful continuity between them, a thread of their passionate love and their passion for justice. What they had learned from each other, the growth they had enjoyed in each other's embrace… was nothing less than a physical expression of their yearning for Azadistan's liberation and the world's redemption. To their joy, their greatest desires could actually be articulated and understood through their desire for one another._

"_To love you is to sing with you, weep with you, pray with you, and recreate the world by your side," whispered Marina, her grip tightening on her Kurdish sweetheart. "I wish to join your revolution, however unhelpful I may be. May I aid you in realizing your destiny, under the benevolent gaze of the Most Merciful?"_

_He nodded dutifully. "You have taught me what it means to change." He pointed to his left breast. "I've affirmed your wishes in here. I swear to bring justice, by the God that gives you your strength… even if He doesn't share with me that strength anymore." _

_She smiled in understanding as she raised herself on her knees, wrapping her arms around the Meister and nuzzling him from behind. Their cheeks brushed affectionately as their nude bodies rocked slowly together. "And is it Gundam that makes you strong, along with the Autobots?" She blinked in mild self-reproach. "Oh… forgive me. That's an obvious question, is it not?"_

_He closed his eyes. "I'll never tire of your questions, Marina." _

_She smiled in contentment, unable to contain the life-loving happiness that danced in her heart. "My sweet, wandering star," she murmured, kissing him once more._

*

Setsuna's eyes narrowed. Her soft figure. Her silky touch. Her flowing black hair, and her surprisingly intense sighs. Just one climatic moment of her warm love felt more existentially genuine than a lifetime of God's presence. Still, he did his best to banish her sensual moans and glowing smiles from his mind as he reported in to Feldt. He would strive to realize Marina's wishes. He would survive and triumph in every battle from hereon – so that he could hear her voice again.

_Concentrate. Focus. Master your feelings… for now_.

"00 Gundam. Setsuna F. Seiei. Launching!" he growled. 00 hurtled past the looming walls of the Ptolemaios, and shot into the blue skies of England, where the distant smoke from London rose into the heavens like a deformed pillar of grey. Meanwhile, Saji Crossroad hastily pressed the buttons for his Mobile Armour's activation. The Japanese-American, while extremely fearful at the news of a world war, no longer held any _hesitation_ in his heart. Though he might fear Decepticons, with Louise safe in the cloaked spacecraft, he would not fear himself. There was a profound difference.

_Wait for me_, he thought to himself. He slowly opened his eyes, hazel irises shining with determination. "0 Raiser, Saji Crossroad. Here I go!" he cried. In a haze of GN Particles, 0 Raiser joined 00 Gundam in the firmament, and Haro cheerfully commenced docking mode. Combining their respective Mobile Units into 00 Raiser, Setsuna and Saji soared towards the burning capital of the United Kingdom together, the images of their beloved scorching their hearts as intensely as the inferno consuming London.

"Are you sure about this?" asked Allelujah one last time, as Marie made last preparations for GN Archer's launch. Allelujah silently thanked Tieria for staying behind and protecting Ptolemaios with Seravee. Their rear flank would not be broken easily, and in twenty-four hours, Lockon Stratos would be able to rejoin the war. "This won't be just one battle, or even a series of skirmishes. This has become a confrontation of truly distorted proportions."

Her face flashed onto his cockpit display, and to his surprise, she was smiling. "I wish to see… the Colonel once more. Soma Peries… and I both." She put a hand to her left bosom, her face radically tranquil. "Allelujah… will you come with me to see him? Will you come with me to protect him and his men?"

Allelujah blinked, before relaxing into a smile. "Of course, Marie. Let's go and see him together." His heart momentarily at ease, he nodded as his monitors gave the confirmation for launch. "Arios Gundam. Allelujah Haptism. Let's do this!"

"Colonel… I'm coming to see you. Or at least, I hope to," whispered Marie, as Arios hurtled out of the yawning hatch. Her eyes flashed in resolve. "Marie Parfacy – GN Archer. Launching!" A sleek, red Mobile Armour with a massive GN Condenser blasted off in Arios's wake, following its lead as they flew alongside 00 Raiser towards the metropolitan battleground.

Having dispatched all available units to London, a slightly anxious Sumeragi opened a channel to Prime to authorize his pincer manoeuvre. She could not hide the worry in her olive eyes as her face appeared before his visual. "Optimus… take care. Don't get hurt too much, or at all if possible," she said quietly. "That's an order," she added quickly, though her weak attempt at humour failed to comfort her.

However, he smiled receptively, as if he agreed with her sentiments. "I understand, Leesa. You and Soran understand me better than any other human. So, I will do my part. Wait for me. I will return shortly."

He nodded gently as the brunette forecaster reluctantly ended her adieu. The cold silver of the hangar bay doors replaced his visual of her beautiful countenance. He raised his head high as the gates began to raise themselves, revealing, bit-by-bit, the green and grey ground of London's outskirts.

"Are you ready, friends?" he asked quietly.

"Always. Just give the call, Optimus." Bumblebee crouched in front of him eagerly whilst Ratchet and Ironhide stood at his flanks. The massive, ancient Jetfire completed their team by looming protectively behind his right shoulder. Surrounded by the loyal, noble warriors who had accompanied him across the universe for millennia, his fists clenched lightly.

"Thank you. All of you."

His faceplate slid across his mouth in preparation for combat, and his optics glowed.

"Autobots… _transform and roll out_!"

*

"To those who have decided to fight alongside us. I am Pang Hercules, leader of the Federation coup d'état forces. It is my hope that this locally broadcasted message will reach anyone resisting the sudden and catastrophic invasions that have befallen our countries. I speak to the soldiers wielding machine guns and to the boys throwing rocks and pebbles at advancing Cybertronians. I speak to the admirals and generals formulating plans of resistance and to the mothers and fathers hiding their children underneath their basements. My words are for you all.

"We have entered a dire period of history, where the small-minded errors and crimes of a powerful minority have once again inflicted grave inhumanity and injustice on the people of the world. I was fortunate enough to be shaken out of my stupor and apathy by two defected agents of the Federation. I realized that the Autonomous, so-called Peacekeepers were not only oppressing peoples of disadvantaged nations, but also concealing the truth of the Autobots' benevolence in past ages. They turned our generation against the guardians that protected our forefathers, and such shameless dishonesty has only served to drive them away, fugitives to the people they sheltered and protected.

"But the spectres of the past always catch up to criminals, although there is no one who is entirely blameless. Because of their slanderous campaign against the Autobots and our implicit compliance with such calumny, the A-Laws have short-sightedly given these dormant Decepticon armies the tactical advantage of surprise, costing us the lives of thousands of civilians and military personnel. The physical fabric of our civilization is being pulverized as we speak, and many cities may be on the brink of total annihilation. We cannot stand apathetically by and allow the blunders and sinister intentions of our twisted government to inflict harm any longer. We have forgotten the kindness of Optimus Prime. We have become mired in the corruption of the powers that be. And it is evident that the powers have failed to protect their people!

"No longer. Today, we shall break those false bonds. Henceforth, we of the coup d'état faction have taken it into our hands to join Celestial Being, the Autobots, and Katharon to oppose the Decepticons!

"Many of you who wish to fight for a future with dignity may have already joined us. Some of you may still be hesitant. That is understandable. As long as a man struggles with all his might against the overpowering grip of an evil machine… as long as even a dying civilian finds the strength to spit defiantly at the feet of a drone… as long as soldiers fight for every inch of their homeland, regardless of affiliation… that is enough! You are our friends, and I believe that together, we can vindicate ourselves and dispel the darkness that threatens to swallow us whole.

"All coup d'état forces… all Katharon forces! All Celestial Being partisans! Make no mistake! You must prepare for what can be nothing less than a global struggle, a new world war! Defend our fair cities from the A-Laws' mistakes and the terror of the Autobots' enemies!

"We hereby declare open hostilities against the A-Laws and the Decepticons!"

*

Above London's bleeding skies, below Moscow's sundered soil, and on Athens's burning waves, a coordinated counterattack began between Celestial Being, the Autobots, Katharon, and dissenters within the Earth-Sphere Federation. Sergei Smirnov and Pang Hercules, two acclaimed Federation officers, had entered the grim fray, joining Sumeragi Lee Noriega and Optimus Prime as the leaders of the resistance. Unbeknownst to the A-Laws, a heroic campaign masterminded by the four commanders now swept across the planet, determined to hold back the Decepticon advance at all costs.

The rebels of the world now united for a tripartite, desperate struggle between the Innovators and the Decepticons.

The Earthen-Cybertronian War had commenced.


	20. Chapter 19: Resurrected Alliances

Why have you rejected us forever, O God? / Why does your anger smoulder against the sheep of your pasture? / Remember the people you purchased of old, / the tribe of your inheritance, whom you redeemed – / Mount Zion, where you dwelt. / Turn your steps toward these everlasting ruins, / all this destruction the enemy has brought on the sanctuary.

How long will the enemy mock you, O God? / Will the foe revile your name forever? / Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand? Take it from the folds of your garment and destroy them!

– Psalms 74:1 – 3, 10 – 11

*

**Chapter 19: Resurrected Alliances**

Passing over the blood-red Thames River, 00 Raiser hurtled towards the burning clocktower of Westminster Palace, where a fleet of airborne Decepticons awaited. Several missiles had already punctured the four-faced chiming clock, and the distant ground below was littered with the wreckage of Federation and civilian vehicles alike. Few Mobile Suits from the A-Laws had managed to survive Veda's initial sabotage of the Earthen military. Those that did arrive to defend the city were already reduced to worthless pieces of scrapmetal, unable to contribute any more to the intensifying battle. Setsuna's eyes narrowed as five, seven… ten Alpha drones, five of which had transformed into Fulcrum fighter jets to flank the Gundams. "They're coming," cried Saji, staring into his screen as the fifty-foot tall, powerfully built robots tore towards them. "How did they manage to amass such a huge force within several hours?"

"I don't know. But we won't let that stop us from defeating them. 00 Raiser – Setsuna F. Seiei. Exterminating targets!" Green optical sensors flashing below its white crest, 00 Raiser drew its GN Swords and approached the Decepticon units, slashing past three and carving them out of the sky in a brief series of smoking explosions. But the drones knew neither fear nor awe, and the remainder of the squadron fired a hail of missiles at Setsuna's Mobile Suit, followed by a powerful surge of plasma beams. GN Archer responded with a barrage of its own powered missiles, and more explosions rocked the sky as the angry projectiles met and detonated against one another. Refusing to linger, Setsuna hurled himself down towards the city past the brilliant light, chased by four Alpha units in robot mode, their lens-heads clicking emotionlessly as they aimed their cannons at 00 Raiser. Setsuna pulled up his control gears, avoiding another hail of fireballs as Arios swooped down, forcing the Alphas to engage it. "Decepticon forces are spread out across Westminster and concentrated at Trafalgar Square, demolishing everything in their sight. We'll cover that area together," stated Setsuna. "Allelujah, Marie Parfacy. Let's provide backup to Optimus and his troops. We'll contain the entire City of Westminster and whittle down the enemy numbers."

"Copy that, Setsuna," came Allelujah's voice, but Marie suddenly let out a cry of shock, and his attention was diverted. "Marie!"

A line of drones transformed from their car modes into robot form, and had begun firing up into the sky at the outnumbered Celestial Being forces. A diverse infantry of Decepticons, ranging from vans to motorbikes to garbage trucks raised their steel haunches, carrying blades, cannons, guns and other assorted tools of murder. Rocked and shaken, GN Archer transformed and bolted past a barrage of missiles as Arios dived down to provide support. Setsuna found it rather ironic. The drones were literally mindless, on a barely higher level of consciousness than a Gundam suit, and certainly not on the level of their Cybertronian masters. They had nevertheless devised an ingenious, cowardly strategy he believed only humans were capable of – to use the remaining civilian buildings of the inner districts as cover ground against the Gundams. He grimaced, memories of his past life as a terrorist flooding back. The Mobile Suits were powerless to defeat them in such an urban context. At this rate, the land fighters could have forced them to defend uselessly whilst the Alpha drones assumed the offensive.

But Setsuna was not discouraged. He remembered the strategy of the very first Gundam-Autobot joint operation in the desert, when Celestial Being had destroyed the airborne fleet of the A-Laws while the Autobots dispatched their land force. It had been a simple tactic, a collaborative attack that delivered them a trouncing victory.

Sumeragi had decided that they would approach the Battle of London in the same way.

A crackling static unexpectedly made itself heard in his cockpit, and he noticed it was coming from the ground-to-sky receiver. "Who is it?" he asked suspiciously, adjusting the frequency for clearer transmission.

"A kid?" came an unfamiliar, rugged voice. "Well, I suppose after being assigned to a world capital where murdering machines are out and about, a young man in a friggin' giant battlesuit of mass destruction shouldn't surprise me. I'm Major Lennox, and I dare say my men and me are the last remnants of the Federation here. I suppose we'll be working with you from hereon," concluded the officer, glancing up at the smouldering heavens and the jagged remains of London's skyline. The Federation troops had managed to hold their positions around Nelson's Column, continuing to fire wildly at the dark blue Payload robots that surrounded the piazza. "What say we rendezvous with each other? A united front would help us push back these nasties."

"We'll be counting on you," said Setsuna simply. "We're going to deal with the Decepticons up here."

"Cheery kid," muttered Lennox, as Setsuna ended the transmission. He brightened as a sleek and yellow multipurpose car, a lime-green military ambulance and a black armoured truck rolled into sight in the immediate sundered distance. "Well, well," he smiled, rubbing his nose as they rapidly approached. "Old friends. And if they're helping Celestial Being, then all my doubts are for naught. Celestial Being's men are my mates, too!" He gestured violently at his remaining men. "What are you waiting for?" he barked. "Let's clear a path!"

Bumblebee transformed without delay, his robot head emerging and his red Autobot insignia gleaming as he ran towards the Decepticon cars, ramming his shoulder into one of them and punching the other across the road. He glanced up as another foot soldier leaped into the air, its chest opening as a disproportionately large cannon emerged from the cavity. But Bumblebee wasn't impressed, and his bright yellow combat helm snapped around his usually friendly face as he fired several shots of orange plasma into his attacker's torso, jamming the charging cannon and causing it to implode from the inside. He promptly dived past his convulsing adversary and rolled away as it exploded into several shards of crimson, black and silver.

Ratchet cocked his head in suspicion. There was a peculiar uniformity to the Decepticon army: many of the machines had awakened in the alternate modes of automobiles, buses, trams, and even limousines, but the main ground force was composed of lean, powerful sports cars, heavily armoured security vans, and pickup trucks. Maulers, enforcers, Payloads, Dropkicks, Swindles, and more. He recognized them from the old Autobot-Decepticon wars along with the Alpha units that flooded the heavens. Optimus Prime and Megatron once marshalled huge armies of these mass-activated warriors to wage planetary battles by proxy across the galaxies over many millennia. But three hundred years after the conflict on Earth, Megatron had regained the initiative through Veda and the All Spark shard inside him. Now, the drones that activated across the world served him alone.

Surely this was only the beginning. There would be many more horrors to come, far more terrifying than these already formidable drone armies.

Banishing his recollections, Ratchet returned to his instincts, activating his converting chainsaw. His hand slid into his wrist compartment as a loud, spinning blade flipped out from his forearm. He riposted and quartered a nearby attacker into four chunks of metal before calmly severing the legs from a drone from behind. He smoothly stepped aside as Ironhide rolled forward between his comrades, positioning himself on one knee and firing several uranium shells from his fission launchers. Miniature nuclear explosions rocked the central districts as his dual ordnance, Bumblebee's plasma gun, and Ratchet's forearm cannon smashed into five charging cars, hurling them into the air and smashing them against a line of damaged buildings. As 00 Raiser, Arios and GN Archer continued to draw the Alpha drones away from Westminster Palace, Jetfire soared above the advancing Autobot frontline, providing artillery cover as the Cybertronian heroes unleashed their full firepower against their own kind. A lean, limousine robot collapsed, its spindly legs crushed by Bumblebee's well-placed shot. A motorbike drone was incinerated into nothingness by Jetfire's plasma beam. "Come and join us," scowled Ironhide, blasting the expressionless head off a Dropkick automaton, its forcefield and body torn apart by his nuclear shells like wet tissue. "The view's much better down here."

Jetfire did not reply, shooting another four missiles into a detachment of Alpha drones, three of which dropped towards the distant ground below, their robot modes incinerated beyond recognition. He entered cloaking mode, and as he suddenly vanished, a surprised Alpha unit was blasted into nothingness by GN Archer's rifle. Another two transformed to better grapple with the Mobile Suits, only to be cut apart by 00 Raiser's carbon blades. Setsuna glanced down as a large, red and blue troop crawler rolled past and over several yards of rubble in the wake of the Autobots' preliminary assault. The tactical mobility truck skidded towards Bumblebee and Ratchet, its large wheels spinning to a halt. "Look!" cried Marie.

"Do you see him, Setsuna?" asked an encouraged Allelujah, as he steered away from the swiping claws of a hovering drone.

"It's Optimus…!" muttered Setsuna. As the Payload enforcers moved to obstruct the troop carrier's path, the Federation "dragon wagon" began to transform, narrowing in length and extending considerably in height as two five-fingered hands and two toed feet positioned themselves at the extremities of four powerful limbs around a broad metal torso. The warrior helm of Prime emerged from the centre of his folding chest, and his faceplate concealed his expression as he launched himself into an unstoppable charge, his long, swinging sprint thundering into the blasted concrete road and storming into the Decepticon vanguard. The nearest drone raised a cold fist to strike him down, but an angry hook from the Autobot leader bashed into the smaller robot's face, hurling it into a crumbling building. Circuits fizzled as the Payload's lens shattered, revealing more of a large computer within its armour as opposed to an actual head. As Ratchet fired another shot into the forcefield of a thin-limbed Dropkick, Prime shifted from behind and drew his ion blaster, releasing a point-blank shot and engulfing the clashing Cybertronian factions in thick, dark grey smog. All that could be heard for several brief moments were the plasma cannons from Jetfire and the rifles of 00 Raiser, Arios and GN Archer, colliding with the missiles and cannons of the Alpha fleet in London's skies.

After the tense atmosphere of the skirmish lifted, humans in blue and white uniforms began to emerge from the smog of the Dropkick's wreckage. Their leader quickly sprinted towards the Autobots. "A nice job you've done here, Optimus. I've wanted to meet you ever since I was a kid," called Lennox, casually raising his launcher and shooting another grenade into the torso of an advancing robot, saving Prime the trouble of turning around and decapitating it. "The name's Bruce Lennox. Do you remember a man by the name of William Lennox? He served the United States – "

"I do. That was a long time ago." Prime looked at the human soldier and his few standing men. "Say no more. If you are who you claim to be, then let's fight together."

"Everyone's in a talkative mood today, aren't they?" grumbled Lennox. "Boys! Find some cover!" He gesticulated snappily, and seven matted, dirt and blood-smeared Federation survivors slammed their backs against a nearby wall, turning and shooting at the remaining Decepticons that vied with the Autobots for control over Westminster. Prime snapped out his dual swords, slashing in two wide arcs to his left, and then to his right, cleaving through two more drones that had transformed from charging taxis. He glanced to his side as five Swindle sedans also converted into their robot modes, lunging towards him as their emotionless lens zoomed in on his face. One of them drew a large plasma cannon and launched a shot at his face. Reacting quickly, he raised his arms in a cross-block, and the explosion hurled him back into a nearby office building, smashing him against concrete, glass and metal as he struggled to meet the Decepticons' next attack. He caught a punch from another assailant and roared, counterattacking with a powerful straight cross. Metal knuckles crushed against a metal face, and the remains crumpled several yards from the Federation soldiers. Lennox dropped his depleted RPG launcher and drew his secondary weapon, which was, to his annoyance, a rather useless desert eagle handgun. He glanced at Prime. "Take back the centre!" he barked. "If your boys stay here, we can hold out long enough to finish them off."

Prime barged past the deactivated Decepticons and raised his arm horizontally in a Cybertronian Lariat, clotheslining a mauler that foolishly attempted to block his charge. The limp attacker slammed into the charred ground on its back, its head and shoulders pulverized into recycling refuse. He slipped past the cross of a Payload's massive fist and crushed it from behind in an inescapable clinch. Pinning its arms against its struggling body with his own, the Autobot leader dipped back for a Cyber Suplex, bending his back in a wide arc and smashing his adversary's head into the ground behind them. Letting go, he quickly parried an enforcer's haymaker and swept up his enemy with two sturdy arms, lifting the smaller creature high into the air. With a mighty roar, he raised his knee and dropped the luckless unit down onto his metallic femur. Its spinal column lethally splintered, the Decepticon fell away limply as Prime moved on, grabbing its comrade and headbutting it in the face with such force that its entire head exploded into shards of metal and tektite glass. He weaved past a swipe from another attacker and seized it by the shoulder. He struck it in the abdomen with such force that its shocked form hurtled high into the air. Prime bent his knees and leaped upwards, following it and wrapping his arms around its upside-down body in the traditional manoeuvre of a Moonscape Piledriver.

The martial arts he had perfected over the millennia were efficient and brutal, and he granted his enemies no mercy beyond a swift and relatively painless death.

With the drone sandwiched between him, he suddenly gathered in velocity, spinning back down towards the ground with tremendous momentum, landing on his rear and directing the Payload's cranked head and neck into the earth. Metal snapped, circuits sputtered and an explosion thundered through the city as Prime leaped back up, releasing the limp Decepticon and landing on his feet. But his advantage was short-lived. Another loud blast shook the upturned cars: a cannon ambush by two more Swindles had managed to puncture his chest and left leg. He staggered, limbs smoking, shocked by the surprising firepower of the peon drones. Two Dropkicks crawled back up from the wreckage of a truck and a bus, their narrow optics flashing as they let loose several blasts from their forearm cannons, punching more damage into him as he stumbled forward, growling in anger. Soaring above the sky in 00 Raiser, Setsuna noticed Prime falling briefly to one knee, and he roared his name. There were only several more Alphas remaining in the sky, and Arios and GN Archer were picking them off with ease. "Allelujah! Marie! Can you take care of the rest?"

"Leave it to us," said Marie courageously, finishing off the spark of a sputtering drone that had been shot through in its aircraft mode.

00 Raiser careened towards the avenues of Westminster, aiming its GN Sword II Gun Mode at the final pocket of Decepticon attackers that prepared to rush the stunned Autobot leader. Pressing his trigger, Setsuna fired, and the green beam burned into the roadside, disintegrating three Swindles and hurling a Payload into a demolished hotel. Bumblebee and Ratchet were rushing to Prime's aid and released their own Cybertronian weapons, puncturing the chest of another Dropkick and blowing away the lower portion of its body. Setsuna entered quantization, and as he activated Trans-Am, the remaining Decepticons raised their lens-heads, only to be sliced apart by a large, lean Gundam's blade. As Prime throttled the final Dropkick warrior into the road, 00 Raiser brushed past him, crashing its sword through three enforcers and sending their detached pieces flying into various buildings that had been spared the furious battle. A cloud of smoke gathered and settled around the devastated district, before dispersing around the ruins of the lanes, streets, avenues and courtyards that led outwards towards the surrounding sectors.

The region of Westminster had fallen quiet, bearing witness only to the cautious shifting of Autobot feet and the heavy panting of the humans. A circuit sizzled inside a Decepticon wreck, and a loose arm severed itself from its host body, its wires finally snapping and sending it bashing against the concrete. Wiping the grime from his bleeding forehead, Bruce Lennox glanced up at the bright red 00 Raiser, which had returned to the sky, and at Bumblebee, who retracted his proton cannon. He wanted to say something witty, something to break the deathly silence, but he could only whistle, lost for words.

Suddenly, Sumeragi's voice sounded across all active frequencies. "Is everybody alright?"

"Mission success, Leesa," responded Prime quietly, crushing the head of a silent Swindle. "The main centre of London is safe. I doubt the Decepticons can marshal a sustained campaign here. They were planning a marauding rampage of destruction, not a military success. In some ways, it could work to our tactical advantage. But there is no doubt that we are grossly outnumbered."

"I agree with you. Apart from Katharon, Hercules's coup d'état forces, and Smirnov's men, the Ptolemaios is our rallier. We need to play our cards carefully. Still, thanks to your efforts, Ian was able to proceed with repairs, free from interruption. Cherudim is ready to take to the skies once again. Hurry back to the ship for a well-deserved rest."

"As you wish, Leesa," acquiesced Prime, looking at Lennox and shooting him a look. His silence bespoke only one thing.

_Come with us_.

Lowering his rifle, Lennox grinned gruffly and nodded.

*

_Moscow_

Sergei Smirnov's crimson Mobile Suit was no Gundam, but it managed to do its job, its GN Lance blasting away three thaumaturge engines: large, four-limbed creatures with jagged, metallic feelers that lashed out with brutal precision at any organic heat signal. Their insectoid sensors darted about, scanning for moving human bodies to impale. Many other Decepticon horrors awaited the whittled squadron of Federation Aheads. Hulking over the ruins of the Kremlin and rolling against the spires were the fearsome, chrome levellers, Cybertronian-modified, dual-turreted tanks that matched the bulk of Mobile Suits. The metal-tracked vehicles were supported by bizarre, so-called "ragers," dual-bladed, flying machines with bizarrely elongated, twisted claws. They had no legs, only a single large wheel that gave them the grotesque impression of demonic unicyclists. Their faces were leonine and ferocious, and their smaller build did not stop them from hurling themselves at the Aheads with a fanatical, bloodthirsty glee. "Damn them," growled Sergei, cutting clumsily at the frenzied creatures. "Damn these robots. I wish I could say it was someone's fault, but…

"There's really no point in playing the blame game now." The astro-armoured commander gritted his teeth, pulling back as his supporting Mobile Suits plunged their weapons into the jagged hull of a leveller. Explosions rocked the city as the Federation units withdrew, flying into the snowy, cold sky to commence bombardment. The levellers' turrets slowly rose in response, charging with infernal energy to return surface-to-air fire. "Damn it – they have an answer to everything."

"Sir," crackled Lennox's voice over the receiver, much to Sergei's surprise. "Sir! Major Lennox here. I hope I'm not interrupting your fun."

Sergei's eyebrow twitched. "In a way, you are. What are you doing, Major?" he said curtly, as his Ahead stabbed its lance into the torso of a thaumaturge engine, before shooting up to join its fellow units. "I thought I assigned you to a do-or-die operation. Don't bother contacting me until you've wiped out every last drone on the Isles."

"But that's what I'm telling you, sir. Our mission is a success! London has been secured, for now. We had reinforcements. They're Autobots. There're five of them. Bumblebee, Ratchet, Ironhide, Jetfire… and their leader, Optimus Prime. They've really come to help us. It's as you said, sir. They kept their end of the bargain."

At Lennox's brief but encouraging report, Sergei's lip curled ever so slightly as the Aheads and levellers unleashed a firestorm of power against each other.

_So at last, Celestial Being grows serious._

_I suppose I can't let up on my end, either_.

*

_Ptolemaios hangar_

"So many dead," muttered one of the Federation soldiers, bandaging his arm despondently as his companions slumped to the metal floor. They were grateful to be alive, but also despaired of the devastation that London had suffered. Did the price need to be so high? Lennox's lieutenant looked at the standing Autobots, his slanted, hardened eyes emotionless as his men consoled themselves of their Pyrrhic victory. Despite the arduous struggle, it felt good to be supported by friendly forces, especially by Cybertronian friendly forces.

He glanced back at the Major, who had only just finished reporting to superior officer Smirnov. "Tell them we're not done here yet," muttered Lennox, shaking his head in disapproval at the evident depression of the weary soldiers, who were in turn staring at the silent, standing Gundams, secured in their respective docking ports. Ptolemaios still remained grounded, although the crewmembers were circulating plans to initiate liftoff in less than an hour. Infantry were of no help in aerial or outer space skirmishes. They would be useless for Celestial Being's upcoming mission to regain Veda.

Lennox pocketed his transmitter and turned to look at Sumeragi, who stood beside the Gundam Meisters and Marie Parfacy. In turn, they stood in front of the waiting Autobots, amongst which Ratchet could be seen finishing repairs on Prime's gashed forearm. "Look, guys. I want to help you – I really want to help. My distant ancestor was acquainted with Optimus, and our family's never forgotten him since. I grew up on stories about his troops' heroism. So I never believed the A-Laws' lies, especially not about Memento Mori, and I joined commander Smirnov's coup d'état forces several weeks ago after he told me you'd given him top-secret files on the Autobots." Lennox paused, before continuing. "Apart from Smirnov, it seems like you've got allied contacts in the Federation's higher-ups. Pang Hercules, I presume?"

"You are right. Hercules's proclamation of our coalition wasn't exactly subtle, afte all," acknowledged the tactical forecaster, as Setsuna, Lockon, Allelujah and Tieria observed the tired soldiers. "Although I dare say that he won't be returning to _his_ superiors anytime soon. And where do you intend to go from here, Major? Will you coordinate an Earth-based resistance against the Decepticons in the other cities?"

"Yeah," confirmed Lennox. "With cooperation from Klaus Grado, Hercules, and commander Smirnov, we'll engage in tactical sorties for each hot spot around the globe until the Decepticon leaders reveal themselves – "

"No. Leave Starscream and Megatron to us," insisted Prime firmly. He shook his head. "As Veda is now one of their physical components, the entire Federation host would be no match for them."

Lennox nodded cautiously, sensing he was missing a piece of delicate information. "Ironhide?" he asked, turning to the bull-faced weapons specialist. "You were once good friends with William. I know it's been centuries since you trained the good soldiers of NEST. But we need Autobot help. We can't fight the Decepticons down here alone."

"Networked Elements: Supporters and Transformers? Those were the days. You Americans enjoyed your bravado, but you were, in the end, still a bunch of rookies," snorted Ironhide.

NEST was the final legacy of the human-Autobot alliance after the first Cybertronian war in Mission City. Originally formed between the United States military and Prime's followers, it eventually encompassed European forces, Japanese forces, and the armies of other nations. But after the abrupt departure of the Autobots, NEST was gradually demobilized, and the friendship that mankind once shared with the Cybertronians was forgotten. The construction of the Orbital Elevators took precedence, and the scramble for solar power began. The tripartite schism of the world into the World Economic Union, the Human Reform League and the Advanced European Union further hurled the unity NEST once provided into the recesses of history. The unification of the world into the Earth-Sphere Federation had done little to promote sympathy to the homecoming Autobots, especially after they were reduced to scapegoats for the Memento Mori incident.

But that had been Megatron's desire all along.

The Innovators had played right into Decepticon hands. There was no other logic around it. Prime paused amidst that observation. Megatron was being truthful when he had invaded his spark and system – The Fallen no longer controlled him because he no longer possessed a destructive impulse focused only on the All Spark. The strategy he had employed during this war was characteristic of his former personality as the Protector of Cybertron, as the commander of the planet's military. Except that now, he abused his gifts in the name of his own search for omnipotence.

Ironhide looked up at Prime after considering Lennox's request for several minutes. "Looks like the humans want me to lead the resistance on Earth. Your call?"

"If the humans need assistance, we must give it where it is possible. We shall divide our forces into two strike teams," said Prime. "One team shall accompany Celestial Being's sorties, and the other will help the Federation coup d'état forces and Katharon to resist the Earthen invasion. Bumblebee and Ratchet – can you accompany Ironhide and Bruce to the hotspots around the world? We have no choice but to stretch ourselves thin if we're to give adequate attention to the manifold theatres of war."

Bumblebee and Ratchet nodded. "By your order, sir."

Sumeragi stepped forward to protest. "But we need the Autobots' help, Major Lennox. You can't just take them away – "

"I will stay with you, Leesa," reassured Prime, and to his quiet amusement, she compliantly fell silent, her true intentions satisfied. She abhorred the possibility of his leaving her, but was really quite willing to make tactical sacrifices otherwise. "Jetfire, old friend. Will you fight with me alongside Celestial Being in space?"

"I can't say no, can I?" snorted the towering Jetfire, tapping his ebony, steel cane on the ground. "It's always been my honour to carry out your will, weary of this life as I am. I will follow your directives as you wish, Optimus." He looked down at the puny humans. "But if we're not indulging our drone-pulverizing cravings, what are we leaving the atmosphere for?"

"We've become involved in a complicated war," reasoned Sumeragi, "and complex circumstances call for flexible adaptations of strategy." She smiled proudly at the Meisters, although her serious air did not lift. "Judging from the entirety of the A-Laws that have gathered around the moon, the Innovators are attempting to secure what remains under their control. I've deduced, from the GN Particle readings on our scanners, that there are Decepticons in space, preparing to launch an assault on the moon… to claim complete hegemony over Earth's future. Although I do not wish ill upon the men and women who serve in the A-Laws, there is little chance they will be able to recover from this battle against Starscream and his cohort. My hope is that Pang Hercules and Sergei Smirnov will be able to survive these attacks around the world, with the help of Major Lennox and Ironhide, Bumblebee and Ratchet. Meanwhile, we'll proceed with our plans to secure Lagrange 2, and snatch back Veda from the Innovators. From that point on, we will stand a greater chance of victory."

She looked around, feeling slightly awkward. "Well… good luck, all of you. Ptolemaios will depart for space shortly. So please, prepare yourselves."

Lennox saluted. "Then we'll part ways here, eh?" he prompted, nodding at his soldiers, and they rose, following his lead slowly. Bumblebee shifted to stand behind them, and Ratchet and Ironhide imitated him. "We'll leave your ship and get back to re-establishing communications across the Channel."

Prime bowed his head. "Let us meet again safely, everybody." Ironhide nodded silently, and the hatch door slowly opened, giving way to the shaft of light that gradually spilled into the bay. Lennox slowly made his way out, and was shortly followed by the Autobots. But Prime was not finished. "It has been an honour to serve all sentient beings with you… Bumblebee. Ratchet. Ironhide. I will quantize with you once we have recaptured Veda, and the five of us will finally attain GN technology. Until then, be careful. Oh, and Bruce – though we are only newly acquainted, I have faith in your goodness and courage. Please save your people from the Decepticon scourge, for they will trust you. They don't… trust me… anymore."

"Oh, don't worry. I'll open their eyes," muttered Lennox, as the newly formed team began to make their way towards the outskirts of London again. Bumblebee, Ratchet and Ironhide transformed into the respective alternate modes, and the soldiers jumped aboard the vehicles of their choice. "People are fools. Even I know this," he added, as the three Autobots sped away, their tires spinning on the grassy ground.

Quite suddenly, they were gone, and Ptolemaios's gate was due to seal up again. Lockon looked at Allelujah, smiling whimsically. "A pity. That Lennox fellow seemed like a nice fellow."

"He is somewhat naïve," observed Tieria detachedly. His red eyes suddenly softened. "But like Neil Dylandy, he is a man who is pure in heart and intentions."

Sumeragi looked up at Prime and Jetfire, the only two Cybertronians remaining with the crew. "Feldt, Mileina, and others didn't even get to say goodbye to Bumblebee and the older two," she noted, somewhat wistfully.

"They certainly wish to return. They _will_ return. I promise." Prime looked down caringly at the small human beings he cherished. It was truly a privilege to have earned their friendship after three centuries without human company. He felt almost guilty for loving Setsuna even more than Sam Witwicky and Mikaela Banes. Perhaps it was the bonding that he and the Innovator had shared on the field of battle, as fellow warriors. It was, after all, extraordinary to meet a human boy that held the potential to heal the very universe.

Without a doubt, Earth truly was his home. And there was no greater honour than to fight with its guardians against his archenemy – his own brother, Megatron.

"It's time, Soran. Leesa… Lyle," murmured the Autobot leader. "Allelujah, Tieria, Marie. Let's return goodness to this troubled planet."

The young heirs to the world nodded. "Yes," murmured Setsuna, his calm voice veiling the passion within him. His fist clenched. "Let's go, Optimus, Sumeragi. We'll go with everyone. We'll go… to the dark side of the moon."

*

A/N: Don't want to mess with the Prime of Cybertron when he gets serious. =3

I was asked what I would do if the following Revenge of The Fallen movie or the third Transformer movie killed off my Autobot/Decepticon characters. Honestly, I'm not too bothered, for two main reasons.

1. The comic writers that provide the background to the movies can't even decide amongst themselves which path to consistently follow. IDW's portrayal of Megatron and Prime's relationship in _Defiance_ contradicts that of _Prime Directives_, which was written for the first movie. Arcee will definitely look different in the ROTF comic adaptation as opposed to her more humanoid (and better) look in _Prime Directives_ and _The Reign of Starscream_. I somewhat like these micro-continuities within the overall continuity because it means official canon is basically telling us fanfiction writers, "Hey, if we're _this_ flexible with our continuity management, you guys are pretty much off the hook." I will alter characters' backgrounds as the movie is released and corresponding canon stuff is released, but the worst I can see is that I'll might have to slip in one or two paragraphs about how Prime/Bumblebee/Ratchet/Ironhide/Jetfire were brought back online.

2. And in the first place, I find it almost impossible that Prime and Bumblebee will die in ROTF or the next movie. Considering that Bumblebee is one of the main stars whilst Prime's background is slowly being fleshed out to be one of great importance in opposition to The Fallen himself, I'm confident that the central stars on the TF side in this story will be (relatively) unscathed once Michael Bay's finished with them. ;)


	21. Chapter 20: Our People's Triumph

In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful / I swear by the Day of Resurrection. / And I swear by the blaming soul. / Does the human being think that we will not reconstruct his bones? / Yes indeed; we are able to reconstruct his fingertip. / But the human being tends to believe only what he sees in front of him. / He doubts the Day of Resurrection! / Once the vision is sharpened. / And the moon is eclipsed. / And the sun and the moon crash into one another. / The human being will say on that day, "Where is the escape?" /

Absolutely, there is no escape. / To your Lord, on that day, is the final destiny. / The human being will be informed, on that day, of everything he did to advance himself, and everything he did to regress himself. / The human being will be his own judge. / No excuses will be accepted.

– Sura 75:1 – 15

*

**Chapter 20: Our People's Triumph  
**

The entire A-Laws fleet stationed around the moon had mobilized for an all-out assault on Earth. But the shock of the entire globe being overrun under their noses hadn't quite diminished. The foresight of Kati Mannequin had prevented the main force from committing a tactical blunder by dispatching more troops to be slaughtered by the robot hordes. But to Starscream, the desperate efforts of the remaining A-Laws would prove quite futile. Nothing could stop the Decepticon advance on Earth, let alone their dominance in space. The Federation forces were not aware of his presence, but all it would require was the removal of his cloaking camouflage… and the true battle would begin.

"Rescinding GN Shroud." Appearing behind a trickling cascade that widened into a waterfall of aqua and green, Nergal Gundam raised its crested head and shot towards the gathered space armada, its red optics gleaming eagerly. The four cannons at its back shone with bronze. "Beginning final eradication of the Autonomous Peacekeepers and these so-called _Innovators_," he said contemptuously.

The command room in Kati's mothership had finally settled down after the initial panic over the Decepticon attack, but a sense of trepidation hung heavily over the officers and lieutenants, threatening to choke away their self-control as the radar detected Starscream's movements. A female private turned to Kati, her eyes fearful. "We're being approached, Ma'am. It's a Mobile Suit, a Gundam!"

"Celestial Being?" cried Kati, as the room erupted into disturbed murmurs again.

"I believe not, Ma'am. It's a model we've never seen before. But the particles that are coming from its back… it's a genuine Gundam, and it's headed straight for us."

"All A-Laws, initiate bombardment!" shouted Kati. "Officer Smirnov! Don't let that Gundam get past our defence!"

"Yes, Ma'am." Andrei punched in the commands for launch. "Let's do this," he growled, as his Mobile Suit took off, followed by Patrick's GN-XIII and Healing's Garazzo.

Kati pursed her lips. "Good luck, Captain Healing Care."

"You got it," sighed Healing in her cockpit, still resentful over her recent defeats.

"And be careful… idiot," added the fleet's commander, smiling grimly.

Patrick Colasour saluted in response, strapped comfortably to his seat. "I'm coming back for your kiss, Colonel!"

At the officers' orders, twenty more Aheads left the deck of their spacecrafts and aimed their guns at Starscream. Nergal Gundam blasted towards the charging A-Laws units, and paused very briefly as its cannons suddenly shifted in their angle and aimed towards them.

Without warning, a flash of brilliant light exploded just in front of the waiting Decepticon. One of the ensigns voiced his concern over the frequency. "Hey, what the hell is that – ?"

"GN Mounted Null Ray Cannons. Firing!" declared the Decepticon exultantly.

Six Aheads were instantly consumed in quadruple rays of pure heat that blasted from Nergal Gundam. The nova of starlight was cataclysmic in its impact, disintegrating, dissolving and evaporating entire bodies of e-carbon in a matter of nanoseconds. The unfortunate Mobile Suits caught in Starscream's attack splintered, shattered, and then exploded; not even their debris remained as the attack spent itself. The detachment's members yelled in shock and separated, their formation breaking as Andrei looked back in alarm. "What… what kind of weapon is that?" he whispered, watching helplessly as five Aheads charged Starscream, only to be devoured in the same light and excised from space in the wake of the cannons. "We – we can't even see it discharging from those turrets mounted on that Gundam!"

Patrick growled. "This firepower – it's impossible to even evade!"

Starscream raised his clenched hands. "Behold, fleshlings. This is my Null Ray – enhanced by Veda beyond your imagination!"

Nergal Gundam re-aimed its rear cannons to blast forth a consecutive series of Cybertronian beams that punctured through another three Aheads, before mercilessly smashing into Patrick's floundering GN-XIII. The Frenchman let out a pathetic gurgle of shock as his pierced Mobile Suit exploded only minutes after liftoff. And from the compromised safety of her dreadnought, a furious Kati stood helplessly from her chair, watching the explosion on the command room's primary display screen. "Patrick!" she screamed furiously. "_No_!"

_How… how could this be_?

As if to taunt his enemies, Starscream shot away, incinerating ten more A-Laws Mobile Suits into nothingness with his astoundingly breakneck firepower. He spun through zero gravity, punching past two defenders and severing their lances with his extended claws. Three shafts of his Null Ray punctured past the charging Aheads that had only just lifted off from the nearest cruiser, consuming the armoured citadels of three dreadnoughts. The fleet degenerated into chaos as two more ships were critically damaged, their hulls sizzling from the ruthless firestorm. Starscream's laughter grew louder and louder, as he exultantly ripped another Mobile Suit in half with his bare hands. He aimed upwards and fired a renewed stream of rays at Healing's Garazzo, which spun down and drew its Beam Claws, slashing wildly him. "I've had enough of this," she growled. "Just die. _Die_!"

Starscream raised his arms, but he was not preparing an attack. Behind him, several dozen Alpha Class drones negated their forcefields of invisibility and shot towards the A-Laws, overtaking a stunned Healing as Garazzo began to shoot angrily at the Cybertronian aircraft. "Damn it!" she cried, as the suicidal robots engaged the scattered Aheads, trading blow for blow as they were blown to shreds along with their human adversaries. "Just how many of there are you?!"

She glanced back forward and gasped, her eyes widening in fear within her helmet. Starscream's avian, sinister face had suddenly filled her display screen. "They are but distractions. Are you not familiar with the basics of military strategy, little one?" Healing let out a high-pitched scream as he grabbed hold of her Mobile Suit's arms, mocking the Beam Claws' dismal power in comparison to his upgraded body. In one brutal wrench, he tore the struggling Garazzo's arms off its shoulders, before smashing a clawed hand against its head, crushing it. Healing screamed in pain and fear as electricity crackled around her. The suit was critically damaged, and its life support was failing. She had to activate her escape pod –

"Childish fleshling. You shall pay for your disrespect by perishing namelessly." His optics flashed. "GN Null Ray II. Activating."

Starscream raised his free forearm, and Nergal Gundam unleashed a stream of proton fireballs, smashing into the torso of the Garazzo and consuming the pilot's cockpit. "Save… save me! Ribbons!" shrieked Healing, as the inferno within her Gundam's cockpit consumed and destroyed her body. Her last moments were of despair and desperation, and she died alone and abandoned as Nergal Gundam ripped through the remains of Garazzo, hurtling towards the chaotic armada. Another five units attempted to run him through with their lances, but the four cannons behind him fired again, this time pouring their energy into a GN Shield that quickly surrounded him in a protective bubble. The thrusting lances neatly snapped from the forcefield's unbelievably condensed concentration of particles. The men within the Aheads let out bellows of shock and rage as they stared at the jagged ends of their cleanly broken weapons – was such power even possible? But they never found their answer, for Starscream had already killed them, re-aiming his Null Ray Cannons towards his flanks and pitilessly continuing his endless barrage, annihilating the A-Laws units that had attempted to surround him. He glanced up at the fleet orbiting the moon, and his optics glinted as he soared towards the defenders that braced themselves for his assault.

But there was one more opponent remaining.

"Damn it to hell!" hissed Andrei, the last man of his contingent. He frantically charged toward Starscream, his bloodshot eyes wide in rage. "First the Warrant Officer… and now the Captain! I'll destroy you, Gundam!!" But that was as far as he got, as Starscream nonchalantly drew his bream sabre and quickly punctured the Ahead's chest, using his free hand to rip out plates of red and silver e-carbon, along with vital circuits and wireboards. An incredulous Andrei felt his surroundings detonate, and his last words were a choked curse upon the Gundams that had inflicted so much chaos upon the world. Their horrific distortion was much too powerful. Neither he nor his comrades could defeat them, despite their indomitable courage.

_Warrant Officer… how I would have liked to see you again_…

_Mother_… he thought dazedly to himself, as he saw a brilliant nova explode before him, just before a heavy blanket of darkness settled upon him forever. _I could never vindicate the injustice my father inflicted on you. Forgive me_…

The remains of Andrei Smirnov's Mobile Suit gave way to the glimmering supernovae in the distance. Hovering amidst the ruins of innumerable Aheads, Starscream began to laugh. He cackled at the pitiful imperfection of the decimated human armada. They hadn't offered a fitting challenge for his new body in the slightest. He laughed at the almost obscene might of Nergal Gundam. But most of all, he expressed his mirth for the simple fact that he hadn't even _begun_ to initiate the operation. His lighthearted skirmish, intended to entertain and amuse, had resulted in the obliteration of an almost scandalous segment of the human forces. At this rate, surely there'd be nothing left for Lord Megatron to destroy. If he were honest with himself, he preferred to keep it that way, if only to spite his leader.

Within the command chamber of the A-Laws flagship, officers and privates alike stood before their display screens in dread and dismay, beholding the awesome and spectacular power of a Decepticon Gundam. "In… in less than two minutes…" whispered one of the sergeants.

"He swept aside three of our officers," mumbled a corporal, running his fingers through his hair in disbelief. "Like they were… nothing."

"And he annihilated half of our entire fleet," blurted an ensign, her fingers trembling on her keyboard. "Without even suffering a scratch."

"Our… our army," whispered Kati Mannequin, surrounded by nervous captains and lieutenants alike. "Do we stand a chance at all?" She gritted her teeth – everything was falling apart, and she couldn't even blame Celestial Being. "All forces… what can we do? I'd love to tear out that monster's circuits and avenge Patrick, but to lose more units at this time…"

Starscream's harsh, grating voice forced itself into the frequencies that still functioned. "Hello, fleshlings. I trust you're enjoying the brilliant fireworks that mortals seem to enjoy so mindlessly? There will be much more death, I assure you. Before this space-cycle is over, your entire armada shall be reduced to scrap at my hands. But perhaps not _entirely _at my hands. I do, after all, have a comrade with me."

Kati's eyes widened in powerless rage and realization as the screen before her displayed one of the A-Laws cruisers slowly… transforming.

Screams crackled across the remaining frequencies. They were cries from the changing dreadnought. "Co… commander! Help… help us! We're… we're being…!"

Kati's subordinates' cries of surprise went unnoticed around her. She simply watched the grisly tragedy literally unfolding on the display. The spectacle was too morbid, too gruesome to turn away from. Mobile Suits toppled off the cruiser's deck as it withdrew into the totality of a long, black arm, and more gnashing of teeth could be heard within its control tower as metal plates shifted and crushed the humans within. Several hundred crewmembers died in an instant, their flesh-and-bone bodies pulverized by simple alterations in robotic cosmetics. The other battleships that were positioned beside the Transformer began to shift away hastily, directing their own Mobile Suits to attack what was really the living machine's alternate mode. But its armour was not typical Earthen e-carbon – it was Cybertronian in its origin and properties, enhanced by the structural upgrades of Celestial Being's Veda and the Federation's military data. Missiles and plasma beams exploded harmlessly against its impenetrable armour as it continued its conversion at an almost leisurely pace.

Soon, its true face would be revealed. And once that gruesome countenance focused its optics upon the people it had deceived, the A-Laws would know true terror.

At last, two red orbs of pure evil peered out from the darkness of the transformed dreadnought.

"Impossible," groaned Kati, her fists clenching. But Starscream's words confirmed the realization of her worst fears. A Decepticon had masqueraded amongst the moon fleet as a cruiser. And judging by its size, this ghastly Cybertronian was nothing less than a behemoth of almost planetary proportions.

"Blackout," smiled Starscream. "It's time. This victory belongs to all of Cybertron. Come and join the triumph of our people."

*

The bullet had been removed long ago, although the scar remained. It was just as well – it would serve as another lesion to mark and accentuate his muscular body.

Lasse groaned, unconsciously pressing the toggle that slid back the casing over his recovery pod. He briefly massaged his powerful but sore pectorals. Taking a deep breath of the air outside, he glanced to his side, meeting sorrowful red eyes. He groaned, staring at the woman that had shot him in cold blood. Except that same woman, now in a white infirmary dress, was weeping quietly, gazing down at him as he slowly rose. "Anew…" he muttered, rubbing his head.

Her lip trembled. "I'm… I'm so sorry, Lasse. I… Only now do I know that I was created to serve Ribbons Almark. As a custom-made Innovator, I was forced to serve him. I was manufactured in an incubation chamber and hastily grown into an adult to fulfill the Innovator cause. But it's not the life I want, Lasse. I wish to be with Celestial Being. Please forgive me, I had no control over myself when I hurt you." Her beautiful face was stained with salty tears. "I'm sorry for pulling my gun on you. I'm sorry for taking Mileina hostage. I don't know how I'm going to look Lyle in the eye when I see him – "

"Are you finished?" he snapped, and she jerked tearfully, sniffling uncontrollably. Silence overcame the conversation as human and Innovator fell into an awkward stillness.

Lasse looked away, his voice lowering. "We've been out for a while. The others need help. Sitting here and crying about what's happened isn't going to help." His feet touched the metal floor, and he glanced at the boots beside the container. He grunted in approval and slipped them on, glancing to his side. Revive Revival still lay comatose in his pod, and unfortunately, his recovery didn't seem forthcoming.

"Well?" he admonished, looking at the Innovator brusquely. "We don't have much time. We've been lying here for God knows how long. It's time we got back to helping the others out. Are you coming with me or not?"

"Certainly." Anew hurriedly wiped away her tears and moved to follow him, despite not having changed into her uniform. Her fluffy white slippers glided across the tiles. She had hastened to the door to the sickbay when it suddenly opened, revealing a uniformed Lockon Stratos and his wide, aquamarine eyes. She started again, releasing a whimper of surprise. He had evidently come to watch over her, but he never expected to see her in a white dress and wandering the ward. He didn't even notice Lasse as Anew began to stutter. "Lyle," she blurted, staring up at the troubled face of the Irishman. "I – "

"Shut up." Lockon swept the Innovator into a relieved embrace, planting his lips firmly on hers, clutching at her fabric and pale skin triumphantly. "So you're awake, Anew? It's about damn time." She closed her crimson eyes, obediently melting into his cuddle as her bosom warmed. "Are you feeling better, baby?"

"Oh, yes," she moaned, burying her face in his chest. "Lyle. I'm so sorry. I've hurt so many… including you. I still can't believe you still want me, after all I've done."

"You're my woman. And I already told you – I'm not letting you say no to me." He chuckled, a portion of his fatigue suddenly lifting. "Remember that, above everything else."

Lasse reluctantly grinned as he floated out, passing the kissing couple and making his way to report in to Sumeragi.

It felt good to return to work.

*

_Marina's bedroom_

The fugitive princess cradled her champion's head in her lap as he enjoyed a brief rest after the Battle of London. She stroked his messy black hair as she sat on her bed, attentively massaging his scalp and kneading his forehead and brow. He had closed his eyes, although he hadn't fallen asleep just yet. Duty would call again very soon, but he did his best to visit her when the children and music weren't occupying her time. He admired her unpretentiousness and her open fondness for the youngsters, but was especially impressed with her talent for music and singing. How he wished that he possessed other talents apart from shooting, fighting and piloting! Perhaps one day, such skills would no longer play such a salient role in his violent life.

"You are a fine exemplar of manhood," praised Marina. "You are a shield-bearer of my hopes. My advocate, my inspiration." Her hands cupped his face. "Yet I look at your young countenance, and I cannot help but curse the disparity between your age and mine." She closed her eyes as he quietly kissed her hand. "Why have you chosen me, Soran? It is so wonderful that you have claimed me as your beloved, but I feel slightly guilty for stealing you from… the other women on this ship."

"I belonged to no one before," he murmured. "And now, I don't wish to belong to anyone else."

Despite her self-doubt, she felt terribly flattered. "Not even… not even to Miss Grace?" she confirmed uncertainly.

"This isn't like you," he said suddenly, catching her unawares, and she nodded shamefully. "Marina… something is troubling you. Or else you wouldn't be so unsure of yourself. You know you're my guiding light. It's your voice that I hear, in victory as well as defeat."

"But… I wish to know what our future will be like," she blurted, admitting to him of her burning desire to begin anew. She had always hoped for the day she could reassume her responsibilities as the monarch of an independent, prosperous Azadistan, but now she desired something beyond the jurisdiction of her authority.

She found herself wanting Setsuna to stay in her palace… that is, _if_ she was ever empowered to return home.

But such lofty fantasies (and they were merely dreams for home and family!) of their new life in her hearth would have to wait. Feldt's voice echoed through a speaker in her bedroom: "All Meisters scramble. Operation Moonbase Assault is about to commence. Sumeragi will give each unit their instructions in exactly ten minutes."

"I must go," said Setsuna quietly, looking into her cerulean irises.

"Shine, my star," she encouraged. "Bring hope to us all… bring hope to me, as this world's first Innovator."

Her rose from her lap and gave her a warm, tender kiss. She stroked her fingers along his cheek one last time, and he slipped his boots back on, striding to her door and walking out.

Even their partings had become expressions of lamentation.

*

_Nearby the near side of the moon_

Sumeragi focused her gaze on the screen before her as Celestial Being's four Gundams soared beside Ptolemaios. 0 Raiser had docked with 00 Gundam, and GN Archer flew alongside Arios as Seravee scanned the immediate sector for any possible ambushes. "Everyone, we've left Earth and are ten minutes from the A-Laws fleet," she said. "We intercepted several distress signals that never reached Earth, begging for reinforcements against Decepticon forces. Our mission is to engage the Decepticons attacking the fleet near the moon, and if necessary, to help the A-Laws drive them back. In the worst-case scenario, we have to put our enmity aside and work together to fight off Starscream's legions. We also have a secondary phase to this mission. Once we break past the Decepticons and A-Laws, Ptolemaios will make straight for the dark side of the moon."

"The dark side of the moon?" asked Tieria, glancing into his screen. "Then that means…"

"I've confirmed that there's a massive astral object hiding on the moon's far side," offered Feldt over the receiver. "I suspect it's the main headquarters of the Innovators."

"Then if we can just hold out long enough to get there, we'll have retrieved Veda!" exclaimed Lockon, his repaired Cherudim shining with Ian's care.

Sumeragi nodded. "Veda can only be located there. While the Gundams engage the space forces, Ptolemaios will swing around to Lagrange 2. Optimus and Jetfire will be the ones to retrieve Veda as they launch a ground assault on our enemies."

She paused. _And it is only right that you and the Autobots attain the power that Schenberg wanted you to attain, Optimus_.

"Look," cautioned Allelujah. They were approaching the moon, and it was clear that a terrible battle had ensued. Row upon row of battlecruisers floated aimlessly, torn apart by some wicked hand. Amidst the ruins hung the wreckages of countless Aheads, the main units of the A-Laws space fleet. "What… what happened here?"

The answer was quite obvious.

Only several dreadnoughts remained undamaged, firing desperately at what seemed to be a massive robot with a body that could hardly be called humanoid. It was black and silver, and its head was of a bizarre shape thanks to its new crest – its ebony Gundam crest. It turned around as Lasse activated the secondary thrusters for Ptolemaios. Its humongous red eyes flowed hatefully in between two giant shoulderplates the size of small buildings as it raised its arms, on which were mounted two GN EMP Launchers. Its chrome, three-fingered hands clenched as it displayed row upon row of missile launchers along its shoulders. The astonished Meisters gasped as a silhouette of its alternate mode's bulk emerged behind him – the now redundant components of an A-Laws cruiser mode. But spread around its hulking back wasn't simply the folded metal of Transformer machinery: arranged like the wings of a fallen angel was a staggering number of _eight_ equipped GN Drives – genuine and operational, humming and spilling out aqua particles across every direction, illuminating the Decepticon with a sinister, sweeping nimbus.

Tieria's eyes widened. "Impossible. Eight true solar furnaces?! What… what has Veda given these monsters?"

_Veda was never meant to bestow such power_!

Setsuna gritted his teeth in unforgiving, vengeful fury. _These bastards… they've stolen everything from Optimus and the Autobots_! "They engaged the entire A-Laws fleet without even flinching…" His eyes suddenly widened as his screen displayed a much smaller Mobile Suit in the distance. It turned its head, staring contemptuously at 00 Raiser. He fell silent.

_That Gundam… that bronze Gundam_…

Starscream sneered, releasing the head of a destroyed Ahead as it turned to taunt 00 Raiser. "I see you really did survive my gratitude. I applaud you for your tenacity to survive – it is almost as strong as my own. But this is the furthest you shall go, Soran Ibrahim. Thank me for sparing your pitiful organic life. I may just see fit to kill you painlessly. Blackout!"

The titantic Cybertronian, reborn through Veda and its configuration of its already huge mass, loomed over the Ptolemaios Celestial Being's Gundams. "_Behemoth Gundam_. Blackout. Eradicating targets." His red optics shifted sideways suspiciously. "Do not try anything treacherous, Starscream. I have chosen to aid you only so that our Lord can take his time in assimilating the riches of Veda. Do not mistake me for your follower. My existence is for Lord Megatron alone."

Starscream smiled, his spark dancing in malevolent pretence. "But of course. Perhaps you can demonstrate your loyalty by obliterating these insects?"

"Veda… Aeolia Schenberg…" gritted Tieria, his hands tightening on his control sticks. "Have the actions of Celestial Being unwittingly doomed Earth itself?!"

"Not yet," came Prime's angry voice. "We're not done yet. We _will_ stop Starscream and Blackout. I swear by the Dynasty of the Primes."

"Just get us to the enemy's command centre," chimed in Jetfire over the frequency. "Once we access Veda, we can turn the tide against those miscreants. We've succeeded against the Decepticons for so long because we weren't afraid of betting everything to win."

Sumeragi's eyes narrowed in concentration. "The Autobots are right. Don't lose your cool, Meisters. Prepare to engage, all of you. I need you to be strong – this trial is more important than any before it."

She closed her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath. The outcome of this battle would have significant consequences for the world. Whether it would live to see another sunrise… or be destroyed at the hands of the Decepticon Gundams.

_Pour your strength into me, Optimus. I need your support, as a fellow leader and as a human who loves you_.

"Lasse! Anew! It's do or die! Activate Trans-Am to punch around the moon while Setsuna and the others hold off the Decepticons. And concentrate a burst of GN Particles at the front of the ship to prevent anything from stopping us!" she shouted.

"Leave that to us," growled Lasse, punching in the commands according to Sumeragi's directives.

"Everything's ready, Ma'am!" cried a newly uniformed and seated Anew. She shared a resolute glance with Mileina, who had already forgotten about the hostility that the Innovator had initiated. "Initiating Trans-Am!" At Anew's input, Ptolemaios was enveloped in a glowing sheet of red, and the spacecraft suddenly burst in an arcing semi-circle around the imminent battlefield, heading straight for the ruins of the A-Laws fleet and the distant surface of the moon. A powerful GN Field surrounded its frontal hull, and within several seconds, it was effectively fleeing the battlefield in order to strike at the very heart of the Innovators' base – to Lagrange 2, to the moon's dark side.

If they were to stand a chance at all, Veda needed to be retrieved at all costs.

Blackout's eight solar furnaces hummed louder as he hovered upwards to stop Ptolemaios's route, but a sudden plasma beam from Arios diverted his attention. He withdrew his hand and glared at the orange-white Gundam as it transformed into its fighter jet mode, hurtling recklessly towards him. "So this… is our true enemy," whispered Allelujah in his cockpit. "How we can ever manage to topple it, I don't know."

GN Archer quickly followed Arios in a haze of GN Particles, and Marie's voice was slightly fearful. "Allelujah… we must protect each other."

GN Archer transformed smoothly and soared to dock with Arios, forming Celestial Being's foremost fighter aircraft, the _Archer Arios_. Allelujah did not utter another word as he and Marie swooped towards Blackout, who raised his arms, preparing to charge his EMP Launchers. Starscream had drawn his beam sabre and moved to engage 00 Raiser, and Cherudim and Seravee began to gather the strength within their respective weapons for a concentrated bombardment against the Decepticons. Lockon grimaced. "I like our chances. At least the A-Laws don't look like they can do anything to stop us."

The A-Laws could not longer threaten the balance of power, for there had been no balance to begin with. Even Celestial Being seemed powerless to stop Starscream and Blackout's onslaught. The Decepticons thundered their triumphant proclamation in their native Cybertronian tongue, and it resounded across the universe, shaking the foundations of Earth and tearing into the frequencies of the Federation survivors, the Gundams, and Ptolemaios. And inside the ship's hangar, Prime and Jetfire collapsed to their knees, clutching their heads in agony once more.

"_**Hail Lord Megatron**_**!**"


	22. Chapter 21: A Glimpse of the Absolute

"You are the Supreme Lord, to be worshipped by every living being. Thus I fall down to offer You my respectful obeisances and ask Your mercy. As a father tolerates the impudence of his son, or a friend tolerates the impertinence of a friend, or a wife tolerates the familiarity of her partner, please tolerate the wrongs I may have done You."

– Arjuna to Krishna, Bhagavad Gita, 11.45

*

**Chapter 21: A Glimpse of the Absolute**

Nothing could have prepared Optimus Prime, Jetfire, and the crew of Ptolemaios for the sight of the Innovators' command centre.

Originally, the spacecraft's scanners could not even detect the colossal mothership. But by overlaying the holographic signal of a massive source over the coordinates of the moon's far side, the colony-class spacecraft's camouflage was exposed at last.

"Look," whispered Anew Returner. As if possessed by an otherworldly ghost, the crimson-eyed co-pilot slowly raised a finger, pointing absently at the screen.

Feldt and the rest of the crew could not help gasping in awe as an elaborate, yellow-silver satellite along the rear end of a giant rock appeared on the display. It gave way to a magnificent, protruding space station nestled behind metal reinforcements, protected by the shell of a giant asteroid and a humongous particle cannon that was outfitted with a rail of a full revolution, allowing it to fire in a full circumference. From its size and its intricacy, it seemed capable of vaporizing an entire enemy fleet or incinerating an asteroid belt with impunity.

_CBS… Celestial Being_…

Anew shook her head in awe. "I remember everything now. This is where Innovators are created. This is the colony… where we are inseminated, bred in incubation chambers, and aged into adulthood to serve Ribbons Almark."

"Where newborn Innovators are sent into the world, unaware of the role forced upon them." Sumeragi breathed out loud, her jaw slightly slack. "Yet this… must be Earth's final defence against the Decepticons. Could it be Aeolia Schenberg's contingency plan against invasions from hostile alien life?" Her eyes narrowed in resolve. "Then so far it hasn't been particularly successful, has it? We'll take the defences by surprise. The personnel on board that colony must have been expecting a larger-scale assault. I suspect they don't know that we can ambush them like this. Full speed ahead!"

"GN Beam Turrets on the surface of the asteroid fortress are firing incoming ordnance at us!" cried Mileina suddenly. Her screen zoomed in on dozens of circular, reinforced turrets that were emitting yellow light. "Incoming attacks to port and starboard!"

"Don't panic!" replied Sumeragi, as Anew and Lasse grimly steered away from the proton artillery that suddenly vomited towards Ptolemaios. The ship trembled ominously. "Our objective is to get near that mothership for Optimus and Jetfire! One last burst of Trans-Am; let's go!"

"Only twenty seconds left before we're completely out," growled Lasse. "But I've always liked your style, Sumeragi!" Ptolemaios shook again from a beam that glanced off its west wing. The cruiser shot towards the asteroid, firing a shower of missiles from all available launchers to open up a path. The distance between their ship and CBS Celestial Being was now only fifty metres. Thirty… twenty…

"Optimus – please initiate the second phase of Operation Moonbase Assault."

Inside the Gundam hangar, Prime and Jetfire stood near the door to the bay's left flank, opening to reveal the infinite loneliness of space – and the grazing beams of GN Turrets. "Optimus! We're passing across the surface of this ugly fortress, but get a move on! We can't dodge every shot from these turrets!"

The grey of the comet shell was now visible, even if it was only a blur. Prime nodded, timing his paratrooper's launch carefully. "Leave it to us, Lasse."

Jetfire wordlessly lumbered out of the hangar and leaped down, plummeting towards the Innovator colony and smashing his feet and cane on the meteor. Prime followed, crashing into the hard rock and crouching to lessen the shock of the impact. They rose and shot at the turrets around them, destroying the ones that were firing at Ptolemaios first. They transformed into vehicle mode without delay, and Jetfire soared across the colony defences, firing his plasma beams grimly and repeatedly at the guns across the surface. Prime's troop crawler followed closely behind, unleashing a hail of small missiles at the surrounding battlements and incinerating their cannons with his Cybertronian payload. For the moment, Ptolemaios was spared another merciless barrage as the Autobots quickly disabled the immediate environment's defences. Several more explosions rocked the shell of the meteor stronghold, shaking part of the interstellar bastion precariously for several minutes.

"We're going to find a way into this base and retrieve all data from Veda. With the supercomputer inside us, we'll be able to store it and transmit it to the Autobots on Earth," broadcasted Optimus. "In the meantime, please hang on, Leesa, everyone. We will return you what is rightfully yours… I swear it."

Having earned a slight reprieve from the enemy's firepower, Ptolemaios hastily beat back a retreat from the colony, rising away and leaving Prime and Jetfire to their perilous mission. Their reunion – and survival – would depend on the Autobots' successful seizure of Veda. Sumeragi almost wanted to say a prayer, but it was as much for Prime's safety as much as her crew's. Sometimes, she wished she could do more than merely giving commands and watching the aftermath of her decisions.

"Good luck… Optimus."

*

00 Raiser hurtled back uncontrollably, its left leg and right arm blown away. Setsuna and Saji gritted their teeth furiously as they struggled to avoid the insane firepower of Starscream's Null Rays. Setsuna had never experienced such strength in a Gundam before – and even then, Nergal didn't seem to be built for overwhelming strength, but for hit-and-run operations like Arios. Instead, it was Behemoth Gundam that fulfilled the purpose of crushing power. He looked to his side as Blackout's EMP Launchers exploded around Seravee's GN Field, disintegrating it. A firestorm of missiles, and Tieria was hurled back, screaming loudly as a pitiless barrage of Decepticon artillery disintegrated Seravee's arms and legs.

"Damn it!" roared Lockon, unable to inflict any damage whatsoever on Behemoth. Cherudim danced around the angry Decepticon, its GN Bits already destroyed. He was running out of options, fast. His GN Sniper Rifle was doing little save to tickle his much larger foe. "We've got no choice, guys. Let's show them what we can do!" roared Lockon, his left eye bleeding from a cut from his helmet's partially shattered glass.

Allelujah's eyes narrowed as the damaged, smoking Archer Arios fled past Blackout's free hand. His adversary was so enormous that his cockpit screen couldn't even display the entirety of his body. He soared past his long, two-toed legs, hoping to distract him whilst Cherudim and Seravee recovered. "Marie! Are you ready?"

"Yes," cried Marie, steering with all her strength.

Tieria's eyes shone with fury, unwilling to give in despite his Mobile Suit's damage. "We'll show you why you're unfit to hide within those Gundams!"

"_Trans-Am_!" roared the Meisters, and 00 Raiser, Cherudim, Archer Arios and Seravee played their secret card, activating Schenberg's final gift to them.

"With this… we _can_ win!" roared Setsuna.

In pursuit of 00 Raiser, Starscream suddenly smiled as he bared his claws. "Are you still so naïve to believe… that I haven't stolen that power, too?!"

Lockon's eyes widened. _He can't mean_… "Jesus, you've got to be shitting me."

Saji uttered a sharp, distraught yelp. "No…!"

"Impossible!" cried Tieria, his shocked despair evident in his shaking hands. But it was too late. There was nothing he could do.

"_Trans-Am_!" roared Blackout, his red eyes peering down at the smaller Gundams as his colossal body was slowly tinted in a red-white hue. He clenched his hands triumphantly. _My Octo-Drive System is unmatched in its particle output, giving me the most potent Trans-Am of all_!

"_Trans-Am_!" crowed Starscream, and the demoralized and devastated Meisters were once again forced on the defensive as he tore past Seravee, his speed easily matching Archer Arios's. Nergal Gundam fired another four Null Rays towards 00 Raiser, and Setsuna steered his Mobile Suit to spin away precariously. In desperation, he suddenly managed to enter quantization, and 00 Raiser suddenly disappeared from the battlefield, reforming behind a shocked Starscream. Roaring, Setsuna shoved his control stick forward, and his Gundam obediently swung down in a sweeping, deadly arc. E-carbon found Cybertronian armour and screeched down.

White-hot fire engulfed the two Mobile Suits, momentarily blinding all combatants.

"This… this is your secret power?" growled the Decepticon leader, as he reeled from the large gash inflicted by 00 Raiser's GN Sword. He grinned through his pincers. "Admittedly formidable, and nigh-omnipotent in the right hands. But…"

He quickly recovered, and his drawn beam sabre slashed across 00 Raiser's chest, nearly destroying the torso in which Setsuna's cockpit was housed. The Kurdish pilot felt his display screen cracking dangerously. He could not help whispering Marina's name as 00 Raiser met Starscream's weapon again, preventing a killing blow.

_Think. Think. We can't die here. I must awaken. I must awaken to true Innovation_!

"Damn them!" His head bleeding even more profusely, Lockon grunted in frustration as another rain of missiles from Blackout smashed against Cherudim's back. "We've… given it everything we got!" It felt dreamlike. The Transformers' powers were simply overwhelming. For the first time, Celestial Being's pilots had encountered Mobile Suits that were inherently more advanced than their own. GN Drives, weapon modules… the Decepticons had taken everything that was original to the Meisters. But they had also given their new powers a personal, deadly touch. This was the potential of a Cybetronian-Gundam fusion – a power that could surpass even 00 Raiser…

Setsuna braced himself, gritting his teeth grimly. He would not give in. Even if he should die, he would ensure the Autobots' efforts at the Innovator colony weren't in vain. The hope of regaining Veda sustained him for the remainder of this arduous battle. But this time, he wasn't sure that victory necessarily meant survival.

_Optimus… hurry. We can't last much longer_!

*

They had already wasted fifteen precious minutes wandering madly within the asteroid complex. The chambers of the mammoth mothership were set in a labyrinth, a vast city locked between a factory for Mobile Suit production and autonomous cloning facilities towards the further interior. It had been a struggle to reach the sanctum; a swarm of automatons had blocked their path and reduced them to struggling against wave after wave of security drones. As he blasted three scuttling automatons into oblivion, Prime could sense Veda's all-pervading presence seeping into the defences. He did not wish to disable the supercomputer in its control room, but it was imperative that they managed to access its data.

"We don't have time for this," he growled, kicking away an automaton that managed to slip by his ion blaster and Jetfire's plasma cannons. "At this rate, even though I can feel Veda's presence, we won't secure this mothership in time to save Soran and the others." He paused as Jetfire laid a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"If you have no interest in stealing the physical body of the humans' system, the solution is simple. This entire mothership relies on Veda; it is an interconnected, mechanical organism that cannot function should it lose Veda's presence anywhere, at any given time. Let us assimilate it now and scram," advised Jetfire, his height diminutive compared to the elevation of the colony's pearl-white ceiling. "If we download the entirety of Veda here, we have a greater chance of giving our aid to Setsuna and the others. And we'll be able to impart all of Aeolia Schenberg's data to Bumblebee, Ratchet, and Ironhide so they can construct Gundam bodies for themselves."

"An excellent idea," noted Prime. "My affinity with Setsuna's quantum brainwaves has allowed me to understand our sentient connection with Veda. Megatron was also able to hurt us through a link that the supercomputer built between his spark and ours. I'm not sure if I have the complete picture, but we'll attempt to establish a transfer now." He raised his head, closing his optic sensors. "Protect me."

"Yes, sir." Jetfire positioned himself in front of Prime, raising his cannons to safeguard the integration procedure. The horde of automatons had momentarily relented, but he took no chances. They could not fail here. The entire mothership depended on Veda's input, and now the Autobots finally had the chance to follow in the Decepticons' stead… to recover their only hope against Megatron.

Prime's system dived into his connection with Setsuna, and the face of the young human briefly permeated his consciousness. Leaving his metal shell, his shining spark entered Veda's central terminal and began to swim through its interface, subsuming itself into the endless and intricate sea of mathematical calculations and GN technology. It dived into the supercomputer's matrix of quantum physics. Within this interpenetrating matrix rested the visible, physical blueprints of the Trans-Am and Twin Drive System. Plunging deeper within, Prime jerked momentarily in shocked realization. At the bottom of the supercomputer were Cybertronian harmonizations – GN Drives etched with hieroglyphs of their metal homeworld. These GN Drives would provide individual Transformer sparks the ability to assimilate and configure their own Gundam according to their capacities and inclinations.

_So this is the true salvation… that Celestial Being offered__ the world_.

"Welcome," echoed a middle-aged, omnipresent voice, and Prime whipped around to a holographic, pre-recorded image of a balding, stern-eyed man with a monocle. Submerged in the multicoloured light of Veda, he was garbed in a professor's crisp white suit, and the pleased smile on his goateed face told the incredible story of an incredible individual. It bespoke, furthermore, of a lifetime's ambition fulfilled at last.

As such, it was a beautiful smile.

Prime's optics widened. _Could it be_?

"If this message is has been triggered, then my efforts really have come to fruition, despite my murder on Moon Terminal," uttered the image, apparently oblivious to the individual it was addressing. "I greet you, Optimus Prime. My name is Aeolia Schenberg, and I prepared for your entrance into my matrix many centuries ago, even after your Autobots departed from Earth. I will not be so arrogant as to presume ignorance on your part. Since you returned to our world and managed to access Veda, it is clear that you already know of my ultimate intentions and my wish to entrust you with my species' future."

"Ae… Aeolia Schenberg…" whispered Prime unconsciously.

"So, Optimus, please accept this gift from a foolish, infantile race: Cybertronian-compatible solar furnaces. From hereon, I hand over to you the culmination of my research and my vision: the GN Drives, the Gundams, and Trans-Am. Everything I have created up till now are premeditations for the final stage of my plan: humanity's dialogues with the Autobots. With your continued support and Celestial Being's Gundams, Earth will reach a new epoch of harmony, and mankind will attain its true potential as it evolves under the Autobots' benevolent gaze. I am faithful that upon assimilating my supercomputer, you will choose to remain by our side, protecting and guiding us into space with the peaceful strength of the Dynasty of Primes."

Schenberg's smile broadened wistfully. "I am slightly envious of those in the future, in your current age, who will have the privilege of looking upon your new face. How wonderful it would have been to see you!"

And with that final salutation, the hologram suddenly faded away, falling into the recesses of the network and vanishing with a trancelike ephemerality. All that remained were the Cybertronian GN Drives that hummed patiently at the base of the supercomputer.

A dazed Prime humbly bowed his head, silently thanking Schenberg for his trust. After several respectful minutes, he raised his face again, his spark burning with hope.

"Optimus Prime and Jetfire. Autobot systems ready for assimilation. Beginning download," he said softly, his optics closing in attentive concentration inside the mothership's chamber. "I'm now touching the bed of Veda and its innermost secret of the Cybertronian-Gundam union. Are you ready, Jetfire?"

"As ever, Optimus."

As Prime uploaded his interface alongside Veda's mainframe, a bizarre waterfall of blue materialized above the ceiling and inundated the two Autobots harmlessly, splashing across the vast metal floor and amongst the wreckage of the automatons. Jetfire looked up briefly, uncertain and hesitant as their systems absorbed Veda's information, block by block, atomic fragment by atomic fragment. Bathed in the luminescence of GN Particles, the two Autobots began to grow rapidly and dramatically, baptized and enshrouded in the sacred veil of Aeolia Schenberg's legacy. The yawning chamber flashed with a brilliant burst of light from the particles, and for a moment, it was almost as if the Autobots had completely vanished in a dazzling array of polychromatic grandeur.

But slowly, gradually, their corporeal forms silently reappeared, as if a sacred, reverent space had suddenly been erected within the mothership. The GN Particles slowly dispersed, scattering to the outer reaches of the open hall. They broke away from the Autobots and fled, leaving them to admire their new, transcendent condition of existence.

Beyond all coming and going, beyond birth and death, they awakened to the experience of emptiness, of _suchness. _

_Before existence was, we _are.

_We will trust Veda with everything. Let Schenberg's final stage of the dialogues… come to fruition at last_.

Opening his optics, Jetfire stared at his enlarged, glossy hand, awestruck. No longer did his joints creak. No longer did his metal ache in rust. He gazed down at his torso, his legs, and his feet. He unconsciously released his cane, and it slammed to the cold floor. He no longer felt tired. He no longer felt weary. His new form seemed similar to his older robot mode, except that his metal figure was no longer streaked with ancient brown and grey. Instead, he was completely covered in black of the darkest night, his joints lined with grey, and his once spindly arms and legs had been reinforced with e-carbon, lending him an unsurpassed bulk similar to the form he enjoyed during his ancient days as a Decepticon. His spark, nestled comfortably within an indestructible circular fortress inside his new Gundam's chest, danced with vitality and life… and with noticeably less weight than before. Even his usual cynicism seemed slightly tempered with a mild, tranquil buoyancy.

He could see himself in the reflection of the cold floor. Behind his expanded, reinforced wings, fitted in the centre of his back, hummed a genuine solar furnace, spilling green, partially transparent particles, saturating the air with healing capabilities. Even his beard-like head was trimmed and slimmed with a Gundam's facial features, boasting a double-layered, golden crest. His optics remained red-orange, although they were now housed in a black helmet. And his new weapons – his GN Forearm Flamethrowers and his Missile Vulcans – looked simply splendid.

"_Bennu Gundam_ – Jetfire." The elderly Cybertronian, for the first time in centuries, sighed in amusement and gratitude. "I really can feel the vitality seeping through me. I can feel my strength returning, as solidly as this e-carbon form that I've been given. Surely, there is nothing more exceptional than this union."

He glanced to his side. "You're not looking too shabby, either."

Optimus Prime, once thirty-two feet in height, was now almost sixty-six feet tall. His limbs still retained portions of red and blue, but most of his body was now completely silver, and enveloped in Cybertronian hieroglyphs. His helm was now adorned with a hoary, V-shaped crest at the uppermost centre of his head. Resembling that of his Cybertronian protoform, it was completed by a crown with a large, emblematic diamond that betokened his Primehood. His eyes glowed orange as well as blue, shifting ethereally according to the light that sifted past his majestic body. What amazed Jetfire the most, however, were Prime's new arms. Beside his two re-configured upper limbs extended another four, and each wielded a different weapon with casual ease. A shining beam sabre rested in his upper right hand. A platinum GN Longsword was clenched lightly in his middle right. His lower right arm bore a massive, double-sided, GN Battleaxe made of humming Energon. A curved GN Broadsword adorned his lower left arm, and he bore a sleek and deadly GN Warhammer in his middle left hand. Finally, he grasped an extended GN Polesword in his upper left, an indestructible halberd almost as long as his entire body.

Each chrome hand, each weapon, represented the six transcendent perfections. Generosity. Virtue. Forbearance. Vigour. Contemplation. Wisdom.

And behind those arms hummed two, downward-angled solar furnaces. They droned obediently, their particle output astonishing in its quantity.

The personification of Cybertronian freedom had attained the Twin Drive System.

_Hearing the endless cries of the universe, I reach down with a thousand hands to wipe away the tears of every sentient being. I am the Lord that looks upon the world with an everlastingly compassionate heart_…

The Mobile Suit raised its shining head, eyes glowing with two brilliant nebulae of orange. Inside its torso was housed the spark of the Autobot commander, and the decree that issued from its unmistakable, faceplated mouth was one of righteous might and willpower.

"_Bhagavan Gundam_ – Optimus Prime. The time has come and the world is prepared. With these new vessels as the instruments of our spirit, we _will_ restore dignity to the cosmos. Let's go, Jetfire!"

*

Ribbons Almark clutched his head, his mind quantizing involuntarily as the Autobots absorbed Veda's data completely. How could this have been? Bit by bit, his ambitions and his vision were slipping away from him. As if the Decepticons weren't enough! He had never imagined that Celestial Being would have attempted an outnumbered attack on his command centre by splitting its forces against the A-Laws and the Decepticons. The chance of success had been dismally unlikely, and he was confident that he could have lured Starscream and Blackout into attacking the A-Laws before destroying them both in his newly constructed Reborns Gundam.

But these accursed Autobots had pre-empted him, and stolen into his mothership before he could complete preparations!

"How… _dare_ these miserable Cybertronians mock me!" he fumed.

"They're not mocking you," rang out an androgynous, nonchalant voice. "They're simply taking back what belongs to Celestial Being… and what Aeolia has bequeathed to them."

Almark sprung up from his sofa, backing away slightly. "Regene Regetta?" He glanced at the cold corpse of his former agent on the ground behind him. "It can't be… you're in Veda, too?"

"You said it yourself – everything Aeolia created is for the dialogues with alien life. Above all, he wished to re-initiate contact with the Autobots of Cybertron, Earth's onetime guardians. He wanted to offer them the progress of humanity – GN Drives, Veda, Innovators – so that the Autobots would deem humanity worthy to protect as we traveled the furthest reaches of space… with serenity and peace as our watchword."

Regene's omnipresent echo sounded pleased. "The final phase of Earthen-Cybertronian evolution… has finally been realized."

*

Floundering in space, the fleeing Ptolemaios shuddered hazardously from the damage it had suffered from the GN Turrets. "Any word from Optimus?" cried Sumeragi, clutching her armrests to steady herself.

"Not yet," cried Feldt, her eyes steadfast and courageous as Lasse and Anew struggled to steer the spaceship back to the visible side of the moon. "Wait – I'm detecting two signals on the radar. They're approaching at great speed!"

Anew's eyes widened. "They couldn't be… Mobile Suits?"

"I've confirmed that they are," cried Feldt. "It's…" Her voice rose with hope. "It's Optimus and Jetfire!"

"Finally!" cried Lasse, grinning at a relieved Anew.

"Regroup!" cried Sumeragi. "We can't fall here now… not when we've finally accomplished our objectives!"

"Everyone," rumbled Prime over the frequencies. "We've successfully assimilated Veda and can connect with Ptolemaios's database to begin an information transfer. At last, Celestial Being has regained what is rightfully theirs. Jetfire and I have attained the legacy of Aeolia Schenberg, and upon my honour, I swear to exercise his gift according to his wishes… to accompany humans into outer space as their Cybertronian-Gundam protectors."

Sumeragi's heart skipped at his voice. "Optimus?"

"I would indeed prefer that you call me Optimus, Leesa. That will always be my true name. But I must acknowledge, with gratitude, that I now reside within a more powerful physical body. And that body's name is Bhagavan Gundam.

"I am but a glimpse of Primus," boomed the Autobot leader enigmatically. "I am the Prime, the successor to that supreme lineage. I have come to defend the defenceless, to provide refuge from the storm, and to join Soran Ibrahim in creating a new world for his people." And in a striking and spectacular entrance, the six-armed Mobile Suit propelled itself beyond the rocky mothership, followed closely by Bennu Gundam. As they soared toward their human friends, vivid aurorae of shining particles began to permeate the infinite expanse of the universe, heralding a new aeon of Earth's neverending evolution.

_It feels wonderful to fly. Is this the blessed exhilaration you've always enjoyed, Jetfire_?

The fellow Autobot-Gundams continued to hurtle upwards, and as Ptolemaios suffered another blast at its rear thrusters, Jetfire raised his hands towards the remaining turrets at the Innovator star cruiser. "There is only one constant law in this cosmos. And that is: youth is always wasted on the whippersnappers," he smirked.

Two immense torrents of deathly flame poured from the hatches on his palms, overwhelming the proton beams and consuming the remnants of the mothership's defences, licking and scorching the meteor shield. The particle cannon began to slide around its steel rail, positioning itself to fire at Ptolemaios, but it was too late. Jetfire's pyrokinesis burned a deep scar along the fortress surface, consuming the turrets – and a portion of the rail – in a voracious, apocalyptic hunger. The particle cannon's gathering light faded as it lost power. The Innovator space cruiser trembled slightly, bearing helpless witness to Celestial Being's triumph. The battlefield soon fell quiet – only the distant struggle between the Meisters and the Decepticons was audible.

"Next time, Ribbons Almark would learn well to never underestimate us just because he turned the world against us," declared Jetfire dryly.

Bhagavan flew past Bennu to hover in front of the recovering Ptolemaios. "This is Optimus, reporting in to Celestial Being. Veda is yours again. We can finally fight on an even footing against the Innovators and the Decepticons. I'm sorry we didn't take down the mothership. We focused solely on assimilating Veda and returning to your side to protect you."

Sumeragi stared at the robot she treasured, and he reciprocated her gaze by looking into the command room's primary display. He truly met a Gundam's size, his three-toed, silver legs long and powerful, and she could glimpse dual GN Drives whirring behind him – the unmistakable Twin Drive System, a Cybertronian counterpart to that of 00 Raiser. Six powerful, majestic arms extended from his broad-chested silver body, each wielding a different GN weapon. His optic sensors were inflamed in a beautiful orange and blue. Lasse whistled, and Anew's jaw dropped. Mileina let out an impressed squeal, and Feldt looked equally affected.

But the individual most overcome was Sumeragi herself. A whirl of emotions churned inside her stomach. "Oh, my God…" She put a hand to her mouth, resisting the urge to cry. "Optimus."

"Leesa." The glorious, radiant Bhagavan Gundam smiled past its signature faceplate. "This body, these hands, are all for you."

Sumeragi froze, stunned into silence by his touching but somewhat inappropriate declaration. _No. Oh, no. Please, not now, Optimus_. She wanted to die of embarrassment, but all she managed was a quiet groan and a blush the colour of a ripe apple. For such a wise robot, surely he could have reserved his doting for a more private moment?

If Lasse had been expecting Prime to utter something dramatic or inspiring, he was sorely mistaken. He made a face as he turned his arms to steer Ptolemaios around the curved surface of the moon. "Thanks for retaking Veda and all that, Optimus, but… man, that sounded wrong," he grumbled.

"Oh, be quiet," cried an indignant Mileina, poking a tongue at the co-pilot. "What he said was sweet!"

"Yes… let them be," smiled Anew. The fellow commanders' exchange reminded her of Lockon, and her eyes cleared in resolve. Her beloved was in danger; that was true. However, all was not lost.

"We have to get back to Setsuna and the others," said Feldt, her faith bolstered afresh. Earth was slowly coming into sight past the lunar satellite's craters and mountains. "I don't think they can hold out for much longer against Starscream and Blackout. Bhagavan and Bennu: can you assume the frontline advance? My scanners are picking up the signals of 00 Raiser, Cherudim, Archer Arios and Seravee. They've all suffered damage from Nergal Gundam and Behemoth Gundam. But with Veda inside you two, we should be able to fight them off!"

Bhagavan and Bennu soared past Ptolemaios and towards the near side of the moon. _I can see Earth's unlimited sky once again_, thought Prime._ This beautiful planet… its blue, green and white… I can see it all_.

His optics gleamed. "It shall be as you wish, Feldt. Jetfire and I will put an end to Starscream's crimes!"

*

Was this the end?

Allelujah and Marie screamed piercingly as Blackout's grappling claws sent shockwaves of electricity rippling throughout their bodies. At last, the Decepticon had managed to seize Archer Arios in his right hand, which was, astonishingly, capable of converting into a grappling claw similar to that of the Empruss and Regnant. His reach was astonishing, and not even the enhanced mobility of Archer Arios in Trans-Am could escape Behemoth Gundam's staggering versatility of arms. Cherudim was faring no better, thrashing against Starscream's grip before its leg was cleanly torn from its metal hip. Lockon swore helplessly as 00 Raiser hurtled past him, smashing Starscream away. Blackout aimed his EMP Launcher at the struggling, limbless Seravee and surrounded Tieria in a shell of blue energy, cocooning him in an explosion that sent crippling pulses throughout Seravee, shutting down his weapons systems and disabling movement in its limbs. Even Trans-Am faded away; Tieria punched at his controls frantically as his display screen also sputtered and died.

"No!" he screamed in the darkness of his cockpit. In frustration, he slammed a clenched fist onto his controls. "How – how could Behemoth's pulse attack disable my entire Gundam?!"

Blackout raised his bulky hand, crimson optics glowing with disgust.

"Un… unbelievable…" mumbled a stupefied Tieria, dumbstruck. "Was Veda… capable of betraying us like this?"

_How could we, the original Gundam Meisters, be bested so shamefully_?

"Don't give up yet!" insisted Setsuna, pressing a trigger for a heavily damaged 00 Raiser to fire at the nimble, agile Starscream. He and Saji were admittedly exhausted, but his radar could detect three glimmering bodies approaching from the moon's far side. That alone was enough to hearten him. "It's Ptolemaios!"

His eyes widened as the radar scanned two Mobile Suit signals from the two forms beside the Ptolemaios. And as if on cue, a stream of molten fire vomited forth from the larger one, severing the carbon cable that connected Blackout's grappling hand to his arm. The unprepared Decepticon roared in pain and recoiled as the electricity flowing from his body to his claws stopped. Archer Arios hastily beat back a retreat as Blackout silently turned to face the approaching reinforcements. "Starscream. We have company," he hissed.

"Everyone!" came Feldt's excited transmission over the Gundam frequencies. "Mission success! The Autobots have recovered Veda!"

Optimus Prime and Jetfire, their sparks snug in their new Mobile Suits, hurtled towards Setsuna and the beleaguered Meisters. "Soran! Lyle! All of you! Are you alright?"

Lockon stared at the resplendent Autobots. "Damn… you sure got your makeover's worth. Looks like we should withdraw and protect the ship, Setsuna."

But for just one moment, Setsuna had completely forgotten about the battle. He had even forgotten how desperately he wanted to defeat Starscream. All he could see was the silver, six-armed form of Bhagavan Gundam and the reborn Jetfire's Bennu Gundam. His eyes were as wide as an innocent boy's as they met their optics. It was as if eternity stretched out before the nonexistent horizon of the solar system, of the galaxy, of the universe. Reaching outwards in all the ten directions, it seemed as if the stars would never stop dancing.

When he was a child, he revered 0 Gundam. As a teenager, he worshipped the potential of Celestial Being to change the world. But now, as the dialogues of Aeolia Schenberg reached its climax, he could finally understand why its final stage was to have an Autobot unite with Veda.

_These new beings… benevolent and Cybertronian… are the guardians that will guide us in our journey to outer space_…

A recovering Allelujah and Marie smiled through their sweat and pain. Saji and Tieria had fallen silent as well. Conversely, Starscream's optics narrowed in aggravation as well as trepidation. "Damn it."

"The five of you, fall back!" cried Prime, blasting towards the hulking Blackout. The Decepticon shot his remaining GN Grappler towards him, but in one perfectly timed stroke, Prime's jewelled broadsword cut apart the extending e-carbon wire, severing Blackout's last hand. Blackout's optics widened, his Trans-Am apparently ineffectual. Outsized but by no means outmatched, Prime spun past his adversary's GN Missiles and hurtled towards his vast, exposed chest. In a brutal execution of martial mastery, he stabbed into the Decepticon's torso with his GN Longsword, whilst cutting upwards with his GN Polesword and diagonally with the GN Battleaxe. Lesions erupted across the body of Blackout, who could only reel in stunned agony as his arm was partially melted by a lightning quick slash from Prime's beam sabre. Bhagavan concluded its attack by spinning its entire body and smashing its dense, diamond warhammer into Behemoth's plated heart, leaving a dangerously deep, sizzling rupture in the Gundam's vents. As Blackout groaned in defeat, Prime dismissively shot away, stopping at last to face an outraged Starscream. "Retreat with the Ptolemaios, Gundam Meisters. We will cover your withdrawal," he continued insistently. Bhagavan clenched its six weapons as Ptolemaios turned a new course and began to flee in the direction of Krung Thep, one of Celestial Being's secret space colonies. "Go, now!"

The four embattled Mobile Suits turned away, but Setsuna could not resist stealing a concerned glance at Prime, who nodded and spoke through quantization. _Worry not, Soran. For now, everyone is safe. But you must escort your friends to Krung Thep, so we may recover and prepare for even more perilous battles ahead_.

Setsuna nodded, and pushed his thrusters forward, departing from the devastated battlefield with the other Meisters' damaged Gundams. They fled for the refuge of Lagrange 3, were Celestial Being's asteroid base was located.

Starscream was not pleased. "Perish, Autobot scrap!" he growled, returning to his usual bronze-silver colour as his Trans-Am depleted and exhausted itself. "I destroyed the A-Laws fleet. I would have destroyed those human children too, if it weren't for your meddling." He aimed his cannons and fired wildly at Prime, four blinking Null Rays shooting towards him. A massive, spherical GN Field suddenly materialized around Prime, so condensed and potent that the Null Rays were simply absorbed into it, disappearing harmlessly. Starscream growled in outraged surprise and attempted another bombardment, this time drawing his huge Buster Cannon for additional firepower. But he was met with the same cold denial, the same strength from that shimmering forcefield as his five streaming attacks broke uselessly against Prime's GN Particles.

In a sudden burst of azure and emerald, Bhagavan hurtled towards the Decepticon second-in-command, and Starscream hastily activated his GN Field. But as if the protective sphere was never energized, Prime simply crashed through it, dispelling the particles with a thrust of his GN Longsword and tackling a dumbfounded Starscream with astonishing force. A blur of colour, they hurtled past the moon, and as Starscream struggled to break free, Prime smashed his warhammer against Nergal's raised forearm, partially crushing it. The impact was tremendous and serious, and Starscream hissed in injury. He desperately drew his beam sabre with his free hand, but was quickly met by Prime's equivalent.

_My… my GN Field… he can break through mine so easily, yet I can't even touch his_?! Starscream could barely believe the newfound power the damned Autobot wielded. _He uses an impenetrable forcefield to defend against long-range attacks… and then engages in melee combat with his advantage of six weapons_! he realized in dread.

"Done with craven scheming and trickery, Starscream?" roared Prime. "You have nowhere to hide. My troops and our human allies have engaged your mindless drones on Earth. And you can no longer claim superiority simply because you have a Gundam." Bhagavan raised its battleaxe and swung down. Starscream's optic sensors widened as the weapon cleaved against his shoulder, drawing a large gash towards his abdomen. "I have the Twin Drive System. Surrender!" Prime thrust his GN Longsword and GN Broadsword into the flanks of Nergal, plunging the blades into Cybertronian e-carbon. Starscream shrieked in pain as Prime twisted, swinging his GN Polesword. He narrowly missed Nergal's head, chipping off a piece from his crest. He pulled out his swords as Starscream shot back hastily. He raised his sextet of weapons in a defiant challenge.

"You are but one robot, Starscream. Come at me with your beam sabre if you dare. I'd gladly defeat you six times over."

Starscream spat his contempt and rage, clutching his fizzling body in agony. "This isn't over, Prime. Earth belongs to me, to the Decepticons. Your resistance will only throw more of your precious fleshlings into the jaws of death." The severely damaged Nergal Gundam suddenly transformed into a bronze, streamlined jet, and sped away in a rather cowardly fashion, leaving behind a spray of GN Particles. "Blackout! We're retreating!"

Blinking in surprise, Prime hesitated to follow him, and did not stop Blackout when the huge Transformer-Gundam also rose higher, his bulk impeding his speed considerably. A powerful solar flare erupted behind Jetfire as Bennu prepared to fire his flamethrowers, but Prime raised a hand. "No. Their spirit is broken. For now, we must ensure the others reach Krung Thep safely."

"We have the advantage, Optimus," protested Jetfire, as the still-visible Decepticons retreated towards Mars, their forms growing smaller by the moment. "Have they moulded the red planet into their new base of operations?" he wondered.

"We can concern ourselves with that later. We have struck a temporary victory, but our strategic advantage is minimal, if not imaginary. Earth is still struggling against the Decepticon drone armies despite our human-Autobot coalition. I have grave doubt as to how long Klaus Grado, Sergei Smirnov and Pang Hercules can direct the resistance without Gundam help. Don't forget that we're still fighting a war against two enemies. The lives of our friends must come first." He signalled for Jetfire to follow Ptolemaios's trail. "Come on, Jetfire. Let's go. Much has happened. After I uplink Veda to Bumblebee and the others, you and I will both deserve a rest in the company of our comrades."

"Not inclined to admire your new look, are you? Very well. As you suggest, old friend," came the reply from Bennu.

Bhagavan slowly raised its head to look at Mars, the data of Veda pulsing through every fibre of its spark. Optimus felt his strength to be limitless, but at the same time, he knew that the Decepticon presence would continue to pollute Earth for many weeks, perhaps many months. With every moment that passed, even more innocent people were losing their lives.

He sighed wearily to himself.

How strange. The weight of his new armour suddenly felt heavier.

*

*

*

*

*

A/N: And there we have it – Celestial Being has retaken Veda. I hope you like the Cybertronian Gundams, sparks of Transformers housed within unique Mobile Suits of their own configuration. I present you the statistics for the four newest models in the Earthen-Cybertronian War (in order of appearance): Starscream's Nergal Gundam, Blackout's Behemoth Gundam, Jetfire's Bennu Gundam, and Prime's Bhagavan Gundam.

**Starscream: DECP-01 Nergal Gundam **

Model Number: DECP-01

Unit Type: Veda-Cybertronian MS

Launched: Anno Domini 2312

Manufacturer: None

Operator: Veda/Starscream

Known Pilot: Starscream

Overall Height: 20 metres

Weight: Unknown

Power Plant: GN Drive

Accommodation: Spark located in Gundam chest

Armour material: Cybertronian e-carbon

Armaments: GN Buster Launcher, GN Beam Sabre, GN Mounted Null Ray Cannons x 4, GN Null Ray II x 2

Special Equipments and Features: GN Field, Trans-Am System

Alternate mode: Fighter jet

Name: Derived from a Sumerian god of the underworld.

Overview: Nergal Gundam is configured primarily for speed and all-round combat, with considerable firepower that can lay waste to lesser Mobile Suits and an entire fleet. It is competent in melee combat, although it possesses only its claws and a beam sabre. Its most fearsome ability is to use all four GN Null Ray Cannons in mid-flight, and can also utilize a GN Field to protect itself from counterattacks.

Nergal first appeared in Chapter 12, shooting down Setsuna with ease after Starscream killed Ali al-Saachez. It later saw its first major battle at the moon, routing the entire A-Laws force on its own and butchering Andrei Smirnov, Patrick Colasour, and Healing Care.

**Blackout: DECP-02 Behemoth Gundam **

Model Number: DECP-02

Unit Type: Veda-Cybertronian MS

Launched: Anno Domini 2312

Manufacturer: None

Operator: Veda/Blackout

Known Pilot: Blackout

Overall Height: 42.6 metres

Weight: Unknown

Power Plant: Octo-Drive System

Accommodation: Spark located in Gundam, exact area unknown

Armour material: Cybertronian e-carbon

Armaments: GN EMP Launchers x 2, GN Shoulder-Mounted Missile Racks x 2, GN Grappling Claws x 2

Special Equipments and Features: GN Field, Trans-Am System

Alternate mode: A-Laws battlecruiser/futuristic Osprey transport

Name: Derived from the Biblical land monster "Behemoth."

Overview: Built for pure destruction and unmatched in sheer size, Behemoth Gundam possesses a staggering eight authentic GN Drives: the revolutionary Octo-Drive System. Its EMP Launchers fire EMP Pulses that can shut down the very systems of Mobile Suits, rendering it Blackout's most terrifying weapon. Behemoth's grappling claws ensnare and trap smaller enemies whilst its missiles provide artillery ordnance.

Behemoth first appeared in Chapter 20, although it was hiding amongst the A-Laws fleet (in its alternate disguise) ever since Soundwave obtained Veda. It correspondingly answered Starscream's call, beginning a rampage that would critically cripple the Federation's space capabilities.

**Jetfire: AUTO-02 Bennu Gundam **

Model Number: AUTO-02

Unit Type: Veda-Cybertronian MS

Launched: Anno Domini 2312

Manufacturer: None

Operator: Veda/Jetfire

Known Pilot: Jetfire

Overall Height: 23.4 metres

Weight: Unknown

Power Plant: GN Drive

Accommodation: Spark located in Gundam, exact area unknown

Armour material: Cybertronian e-carbon

Armaments: GN Flamethrower x2, GN Beam Sabre

Special Equipments and Features: GN Field, Trans-Am System

Alternate mode: Space cruiser

Name: The Bennu or phoenix was said to be the soul of the sun god Ra. It was associated with the rising of the Nile, resurrection, and the sun. Because the Bennu represented creation and renewal, it was associated with the passage of time. As such, Bennu Gundam is a time and youth-associated Mobile Suit: a godsend for the elderly, life-weary Jetfire.

Overview: Bennu is the regenerated form of Jetfire, restoring the former Decepticon to his youthful body and bestowing the power of cosmic fire upon him. His flames overwhelm most other long-range weapons, although the Gundam struggles in melee combat. Bennu is particularly effective at destroying cruisers and bases, or purging large numbers of smaller enemies.

**Optimus Prime: AUTO-01 Bhagavan Gundam **

Model Number: AUTO-01

Unit Type: Veda-Cybertronian MS

Launched: Anno Domini 2312

Manufacturer: None

Operator: Veda/Optimus Prime

Known Pilot: Optimus Prime

Overall Height: 20 metres

Weight: Unknown

Power Plant: Twin Drive System

Accommodation: Spark located in Gundam chest

Armour material: Cybertronian e-carbon

Armaments: GN Beam Sabre, GN Longsword, GN Battleaxe, GN Broadsword, GN Warhammer, GN Polesword

Special Equipments and Features: GN Field, Trans-Am System

Alternate mode: None

Name: "Bhagavan" means "Lord," "Blessed One," "World-Honoured One" in Sanskrit. Used as an epithet for God, Vishnu, Krishna, the Buddha, or a revered teacher.

Overview: Notable for its multiple arms, an Indian symbol of divinity, Bhagavan is unsurpassed in melee combat, overpowering any Mobile Suit with its arsenal of six weapons. Because Bhagavan can wield them with flawless dexterity and coordination, it essentially gains the power of six Gundams in close-quarters fighting. It also possesses the most concentrated and powerful GN Field of all Mobile Suits, compensating for its complete lack of long-range firepower. This GN Field can absorb essentially any projectile of every nature. Due to its unique abilities, it suffers from the lack of an alternate mode, unlike other Cybertronian Gundams.


	23. Chapter 22: The Prime Coalition

His lava-red, narrow eyes peer out from the lonely darkness. Within him burn primal forces drawn from the very birth of the multiverse. His regal, tall _nemes_ encircles and frames his sinister countenance. It is customarily emblematic of an ancient Pharaoh's glory, but instead is used to overawe sentient beings while he strides the cosmos.

His face is the face to which the Decepticons owe their loyalty to, and he is known by many elemental, apocalyptic names. The omniversal tyrant. A universe-hopper, a multiversal singularity. The brother of chaos. The betrayer of the Primes.

The Fallen.

He is a trans-dimensional being unmatched in supremacy and diabolical cruelty. His unspeakable capabilities are endless. Galactic intelligence. Vast psychic powers such as mind control, telepathy, telekinesis, and cosmic awareness. He possesses limitless reality-traversing abilities, able to open and close spacebridges and dimensional portals at will, travelling to anywhere he chooses within a nanosecond. He channels and wields unquantifiable, awesome energy, and is capable of unmaking creation at a whim. Throughout the aeons, he has commanded planet-spanning fleets of robotic armies and influential proxies to achieve one simple goal: unadulterated omnipotence.

The Fallen and his noble, glorious lineage of Primes were born on Cybertron from the life-giving power of the All Spark. However, the Cube's power was not unlimited and had to be replenished. The brothers discovered that the energy from a star could be harvested to replenish it. By absorbing entire suns, the All Spark could continue its creative activity. And so they embarked on a journey with the new servants the All Spark had created for them – servants that could transform into vehicles to seek new resources.

They were the first Transformers.

They were the labourers that constructed grand monuments to The Fallen's glory. They were the race that etched and recorded the hieroglyphs of their sacred tongue on every planet they visited. They were the workers that built Harvesters, giant towers that drained away a sun's energy and channelled it into the All Spark. Through the destruction of stars, The Fallen's kin could prosper. But as a new Harvester was undergoing construction on Earth, he began to desire the All Spark's power for himself. In a bid for true omnipotence, he betrayed his own family and brutally destroyed the sarcophagi of their lifeforces. But through a retaliatory sacrifice, his brother Primes sealed him into his own sarcophagus on Cybertron whilst Earth's natives concealed the Harvester within a large, venerable structure: the Pyramid of Khufu, the last surviving wonder of the world.

The rest is dark, galactic history. It is a history of Decepticon oppression and cruelty, but struggling against this history is the mythic, wonderful story of the Autobots' kindness, protection, and stewardship. It is to them that I wish to entrust humanity's future to. It is to them that our future belongs.

It is they who shall be the protagonists of my dialogues. Along with Innovating humans, they shall be the heirs to the GN Drives and Veda.

They shall become the gods they deserve to be.

– Memoirs of Aeolia Schenberg, Vol. II, Krung Thep Archives

*****

**Chapter 22: The Prime Coalition**

Bruce Lennox cursed his failure to save his decapitated lieutenant as his cornered troops fended off the hungry claws of a large tank drone. They were losing ground, and they were losing it fast. Square kilometre by square kilometre, the endless Decepticon armies were stealing what the Federation's reinforcements had regained. Already, several dozen blue-and-white uniformed men had been mowed down by the gattling machine gunfire of the advancing Dropkick drones, whilst the few Aheads that were left operational after the global sabotage had not fared well against the significantly superior numbers of the Swindles' artillery cannons. More nightmarish machines awaited them beyond the Channel: Decepticon-controlled dreadnoughts and aircraft carriers, insectoid ragers, monitor beasts that blocked the horizon's light, insidious, tentacled nanotech engines, violent Cybertronian hulks, levellers… It felt dreamlike. Was there no end to the nightmares Veda had spawned for Megatron's twisted visions? "Oi, Ratchet," shouted Lennox coarsely, whipping around and pressing himself against a blasted piece of concrete. "Has Optimus carried through his grand plan yet? We could sure use some Gundam power here."

"Yes. He has succeeded," breathed Ratchet, kicking away a Swindle that attempted to destroy the sandbags that were piled hastily in front of the human formation. His forearm cannon sizzled as he fired several more proton orbs at the advancing vanguard of thaumaturge engines. He shifted to look at Ironhide, his expression awestruck. "I really saw him, in my spark. He spoke to me, and said that he has acquired and configured a Gundam for himself. He's relayed to my database all the information that will give us access to GN technology." His optics glanced toward the blood-red horizon. "Hurry. It's time to interface with this system."

"Agreed," growled Ironhide, tussling against three Payload warriors on top of two Ahead wreckages. He blasted one in the head and sent it flying into a shelled building, glaring at the damage that even a Decepticon corpse could inflict. He lowered his clenched fists, backing away and stepping off the Mobile Suits' remains. Bumblebee followed Ironhide's cue and rolled back to Ratchet. "Lennox!"

At long last, they had a chance to even the odds, if only slightly. Lennox and his men scrambled to position themselves in front of the Autobots as they initiated the uplink. "Hurry," urged the major, returning fire from the distant ragers with his upgraded saber rounds. Debris was flung into the sky as a chunk of a high wall was blown away. He covered his head frantically. "You three don't have all day to tinker with your little supercomputer."

"I'm not tinkering," said Ratchet patiently, holding out his hands as a cataract of GN Particles descended from the sky, washing over the Autobots and suffusing the ravaged city in tinkling luminescence. The three robots momentarily disappeared in the beautiful miasma, a flash of light shooting outwards and radiating across the battlefield. After several breathless minutes, another flash of pure white overwhelmed the immediate surroundings, bathing the concrete world with a starry, artificial shine. Momentarily blinded, Lennox felt his ears droning vaguely as the cerulean falls lifted themselves from Bumblebee, Ratchet and Ironhide Even the gunfire amongst the warring robots had died down slightly. Sensing that the transferral of GN technology was complete, Lennox turned around, opening his mouth bark new orders. But as soon as his eyes fell upon his Autobot comrades, he stopped in his tracks, his jaw dropping and slackening.

They had literally doubled in size.

_I can't even see their faces from down here_.

"_Mahisha Gundam_ – Ironhide. Removing Decepticon eyesores." Encrusted with an ebony crest and a silver secondary diadem, the veteran Autobot truly resembled his namesake: that of a brutal bull. His windswept face looked almost sinister as he smirked, expressing the violent, triumphant exultance that his spark felt. The black Mobile Suit clenched its reinforced fists, exulting in its GN Twin Fission Cannons – the only weapons that it possessed. He physically rose into the sky for the very first time in his long life, particles emitting from the solar furnace fixed behind his broad shoulderplates. He aimed carefully, unleashing his upgraded payload. Four ballistic missiles shot forth from his ordnance and screamed towards the horrors that had overwhelmed the coast of France.

Within minutes, the skies turned into ashen grey, and two mushroom clouds reached for the weeping clouds across the distant Channel, devouring the vast host of Decepticon forces in a firestorm of raw, pure destructive might.

_Raw, nuclear power_? thought Ironhide in astonishment. Apparently, Veda had intentionally configured his GN Twin Fission Cannons to hold more firepower than any other Autobot armament could produce.

"This… feels good," affirmed an impressed Mahisha Gundam. "Very good."

"_Anointed Gundam_… Ratchet." His odd head still retaining its quirky shape despite its new, gold apex, the metal-winged healer now clutched a forty foot long, screaming aberration: the GN Chainsaw. It was a monstrosity; a brutal, mass-murdering machine that eviscerated and disembowelled anything that dared to touch its spinning edge of two hundred, five-foot tall teeth. To his horror, Ratchet realized that Veda had upgraded this GN Chainsaw from his much smaller, more refined chain blade. Unable to reflect any longer on the morality of this instrument of butchery, he riposted, tearing through five Payload drones with a single swipe, his chainsaw whirring emotionlessly as the blades cut and screeched into their wretched, smaller bodies. The Autobot roared, slick Decepticon oil dashing his face. Ten large pieces of Cybertronian scrap scraped along the seared road and ceased twitching. He breathed heavily as his assailants fell silent, lowering his new weapon.

Having grown almost as tall as many buildings in the metropolis, he raised his hand, staring at his lime-green and silver reflection with beady, somewhat narrower optics. Everything about him was different. He felt stronger. He even felt wiser. His spark burned brighter than ever, and there seemed no limit to the sheer vitality that coursed through his circuits. He curiously aimed his hand at a destroyed car, and particles emanated from his fingers, cocooning the wreckage and levitating the mending metal. Within seconds of the particles' departure, the blue car sparkled in its original, pristine shape, completely rebuilt, as if it had only just rolled off the assembly series.

_I have the power to repair and restore machines at will_. Nevertheless… "This is the potential Veda wants me to realize?" he questioned, slightly mortified as he prepared to attack again. "To swing a giant chainsaw?"

"_Surya Gundam_ – Bumblebee!" The smallest Mobile Suit of the three, the fifteen-metre Surya had not changed too markedly from Bumblebee's old figure, although it was better armoured, encased in a suit of Cybertronian e-carbon. It raised its GN Solar Blaster, particles spilling from the GN Drive secured into its upper back. It crouched momentarily and sprang up into the air, shooting towards the clouds. Bumblebee spread his arms, aqua particles spilling behind him. His golden crest shimmered along with the entirety of his lean physique. He spread his arms, and a colloidal discharge swept across the Decepticon drones, and they mysteriously ceased movement, as if something had frozen their joints – or jammed their frequencies. Bumblebee swooped down, taking full advantage of his new capabilities of supersonic flight. He released his Solar Blaster repeatedly into the crowd of immobile Decepticons, and they exploded haplessly at the firepower of the sun-powered weapon. As Surya soared up into the air gleefully, crowing in elated delight, the last of the thaumaturge engines collapsed, flailing wildly as Anointed withdrew its spinning chainsaw. In an unimaginable turnaround of tactical ingenuity, the Autobot forces on Earth had assimilated – and configured – Gundams through their leader's uplink. With the entrance of Surya, Anointed and Mahisha, the tide of battle was reversed, and the war itself did not seem so hopeless anymore.

His hands' grip on his rifle slackening slightly, a dumbfounded Bruce Lennox and his surviving men could only stare up at the Autobot-Gundams that were trouncing the remaining Decepticon forces.

Surely even William had never witnessed something like _this_.

"Holy shit," praised Bruce hoarsely.

*

Krung Thep, or "City of the Gods" in the Thai language, was a Mobile Suit facility that nestled inside a meteor at the edge of an asteroid belt beyond the moon. At a height and radius of five hundred metres, it was a cloaked colony that had escaped the initial scouring by the A-Laws during the first stages of the Earth-Sphere Federation's unification. With the planet consumed by war, Krung Thep was the only haven where Celestial Being's Gundam Meisters and Autobots could safely recover from the exhaustion of the battle at the moon. The A-Laws had been rendered effectively impotent, having lost Arthur Goodman and the totality of its space fleet. Even Kati Mannequin was missing, although her death had not been confirmed. All that stood in the Decepticons' path of conquest was the alliance between the Autobots on Earth, Katharon, and the coup d'état forces of the Federation.

Sumeragi was not about to exhaust her resources at such a pivotal time. She had recalled all the forces in space to retreat to Krung Thep, where the Vashti family had toiled for many space-cycles to complete Celestial Being's newest project. Ever since Sumeragi and Prime confirmed their joint collaborative mission to retake Veda, Ian had put forward the designs and specifications for a new Mobile Suit carrier, one that was commissioned to Linda after the initial skirmishes at Lagrange 2. It was in the backdrop of the sweeping war on Earth that construction of the above top-secret starship was finished – and approved – by mechanics and engineers under Ian's command.

The unprecedented sizes of Prime and Jetfire's body structures would require a more spacious and versatile cruiser that would testify to the successful human-Autobot dialogues. The starship was to serve as a self-sufficient, manoeuvrable stronghold, with a massive hangar bay prepared to hold more than ten Gundam Mobile Suits, along with other Mobile Units. Sumeragi had specifically requested Ian to make the Autobots' de facto barracks more comfortable.

The alliance between Celestial Being and the Autobots had become Earth's shining beacon in the sinister night of a monumental war.

Today, Ian Vashti took the opportunity to present the flagship of freedom to the crew and the Autobots. He, his daughter and Linda stood before Anew and Lasse in the immense main hangar of Krung Thep, which housed several experimental-type Mobile Suits and Mobile Armours, along with parts from abandoned aircraft and land vehicles. But in the centre of the bay and resting a short distance away from the Vashti family was the main attraction: a heavily armoured, galactic battleship twice the size of the second Ptolemaios. The wide foil shrouds that formerly concealed it had already slipped off, revealing a stealth bomber-esque cruiser of majestic, contrasting ebony and ivory shadings. They struck a symmetrical pattern on its apex and underside respectively, as opposed to its predecessor's blue and white. The quasi-Spirit spacecraft was also much wider than the Ptolemaios, possessing a long, protruding snout that housed an expanded tactical chamber. There was no doubt that its bridge and sub-bridge would be significantly larger, perhaps by several times, than its precursor. Anew couldn't even glimpse the further ends of the ship – such was its size that she and Lasse had to content themselves with staring at its base hull, a large, encompassing frame of black that overshadowed them by five hundred feet.

"Come closer, don't be shy," called Ian. "This newcomer is so big; you'll need a full tour of her. Do make her feel welcome. Everything has been calibrated by the engineers; there's little we can do to improve her further." His small eyes glinted through his spectacles. "You really did an excellent job… Sherilyn."

"So this was an above top-secret project, huh?" asked Lasse, crossing his arms. "You sure got that one right. None of us had a clue you intended to upgrade the Ptolemaios."

"Except for me," chirped Mileina, poking a playful tongue at Lasse. "After all, I helped out with this ship's close-in weapon system, Trans-Am, and GN Field."

"We all gave it our best in the development of this new and improved starship cruiser," declared Ian. "While you and Optimus's lot were romping around with Decepticon armies in London, my students played a central role in building its e-sensors, atmospheric entry systems, and submarine mode. And thanks to their monstrous upgrades on the weaponry, it'll be a hell of a lot harder for the Innovators and Decepticons to threaten you.

"Without further ado, I present to you the majestic CBS-80 – our very first Earthen-Cybertronian hybrid space cruiser," he continued, gesturing out with a dramatic hand at the silent, black-and-white galactic vehicle. "Beyond mere dreadnoughts or Mobile Units, she is the world's very first Mobile Fortress, and custom-built for forecaster Sumeragi and our Autobot allies. Mess hall with upgraded kitchen facilities, expanded living quarters, four observation rooms for work and play, weapons and military supplies in containers. Rooms are larger and more comfortable. I'm sure Louise and Saji will enjoy theirs. Furthermore, I've housed our guest Revive Revival in one of the many healing pods in our new, better-equipped medical bay. We're not just a Mobile Fortress, we're a mobile hospital." He smirked. "There's even an entertainment lounge for unwinding and post-planetary war de-stressing: slightly too comfortable for your own good, I might add. But the reason for its unprecedented size is a good one. It contains an expanded hangar large enough to accommodate an extra five to seven Gundams, assuming that Optimus has already transmitted the info to Bumblebee, Ratchet and Ironhide. But that won't be a problem. This ship already holds all of Veda's data – that's why we were able to access Aeolia's designs for an Earthen-Cybertronian hybrid craft."

"Veda's data?" asked Lasse in surprise.

"We still don't have the original terminal, but after Optimus and Jetfire assimilated the entire system, they cooperated in transmitting their databases into a new physical terminal. It's called the resonance sanctum. Built into the ship's core and protected by a cage of Cybertronian e-carbon, it contains the totality of everything in Veda," said Ian. "Thanks to this upgrade, our baby features technology that improves even further on the second Ptolemaios – GN Particle dispersal, holographic camouflage system, and GN Field generation for tactical advantage… and this time round, I've packed on even more munitions, giving her six GN Cannons, eight GN Cannon Turrets, and eight GN Flak Cannons. All armaments have been re-designed and upgraded, as you can see with the sixteen GN Large Missile Launchers, sixty GN Missile Launchers, and ten channels for GN Torpedoes. She has an extended fighting capability in space, with higher GN Particle output and a longer Trans-Am duration."

Anew was noticeably impressed. "CBS-80… Mobile Fortress. But what's her given name?" she murmured, looking up at the grand west wing that cast a dark, extensive shadow over the floor.

Ian adjusted his glasses. "Her name is _Persephone_. With her help, there's no doubt that we can get back on equal footing with Megatron and his cronies. I've done all I can, friends. The rest is really up to you now."

"Persephone…" whispered Lasse, staring into the ship that was twice the size of Ptolemaios II. "So next time we lift off, it'll be inside this new ship, huh?" He turned around, swallowing his amazement for several minutes. "You really outdid yourselves," he said, smiling at the Vashti family.

"Please, it was the least we could do," replied Linda happily.

"It's not that we outdid ourselves, it's that Sumeragi outdid herself with her outrageously unrealistic demands!" cried Ian suddenly, throwing up his hands in exasperation. He looked thoroughly relieved that his work was finally complete. "You know, I'm surprised Persephone completed her trial phase so quickly. She is completely unique in the field of GN technology – we've only just begun to pioneer the development of human and Autobot armaments inside her. I just hope there are no errors or slip-ups once we enter the next battle."

"That reminds me… where is our forecaster?" asked Lasse. "She's got to see this. It's as you say; Persephone really will be an indispensable weapon against the Innovators and the Decepticons."

"Don't even bother," snorted Ian, whilst Linda suppressed a well-meaning chortle. An excited Mileina put two hands over her grinning lips. "Ever since Optimus touched down in Krung Thep's east bay, no one has seen her anywhere in the colony, which can only mean that she hasn't left his side since he returned."

"I understand that Optimus is very fond of her," said Anew, recalling the spontaneous confession he had blurted to the crew after attaining Bhagavan Gundam, "but I never knew they were this attached to each other before I joined Celestial Being."

"She never talks about it, but it's so obvious to everyone that Optimus has fulfilled the role of every man she has pined for since Emilio's passing." Ian shrugged at Linda's reproachful look. "Sorry, darling, but I'm calling it as it is."

Lasse grinned. "So you're saying he's her six-armed father figure? She's loving it," he muttered, looking up at Celestial Being's magnificent new space cruiser.

Persephone: the successor to the Ptolemaios II. The new spacefaring, fortress residence of the Gundams and the Autobots.

*

_East wing_

Whenever Sumeragi reposed in Prime's regal presence, she would persuade him to nestle her with both hands, so that her entire body could enjoy his touch. But his pristine incarnation as Bhagavan Gundam now meant that she could fit on just one of his silver palms easily, fifty-five feet above the cool metal floor. For many minutes she simply stared up at his crested face hardly able to believe that this miraculous creature was her Optimus. Experiencing the Autobot-Gundam up close and personal was truly stupefying, inconceivable in its sheer rightness.

It seemed like an age since their first acquaintance above the sand dunes of the Middle East, when the Gundam Meisters saved the lost and confused Autobots from an A-Laws ambush. At the time, she hadn't been sure if they would fit amongst the crew. Now, she couldn't imagine life without them.

"So many hands to hold me with," she repeated meekly, looking about her and observing Bhagavan Gundam's multiple, shifting arms. She blushed at the innuendo that they unwittingly engaged in ever since his spark entered Bhagavan. "I can be so greedy," she mumbled. "I've been little more than a demanding child, nagging you to attend to my every need. Sometimes, I almost wish you could be sterner with me. Too often, I forget that you are from a dynasty far more glorious than anything I could ever imagine. You must be fed up of my human arrogance."

"The legacy of the Primes transcends pride, my precious darling," he said quietly, his gigantic optic sensor meeting her gaze. "I am the last of my line, and I command all its collected knowledge. Through Aeolia's generosity, I have become a being worthy of my ancient heritage. So don't feel ashamed – I want to help you. Through quantization, I have already uplinked the data within me and relayed it to Bumblebee, Ratchet and Ironhide on Earth. They deserve everything Veda can offer." He closed his optics solemnly. "I can sense their new forms now… they are called Surya Gundam, Anointed Gundam, and Mahisha Gundam. With their new powers, all will not lost now. Earth is not lost."

"And we have a new ship for the campaign against Megatron," she offered hopefully. "Ian designed it for a total of nine Mobile Suits, along with 0 Gundam, 0 Raiser and GN Archer. Isn't that wonderful? You finally have a home that deserves you. Ever since Project Persephone commenced, I've been pushing the Vashti family to build a much larger hangar: accommodation fit for a Prime and his Autobots."

He smiled in amused gratitude at her efforts. "Don't you see? Wherever I find you and Soran, I already _am_ home. Still, I am honoured to join your crew on board the Persephone. Now, what may your orders be for our next operation?"

She stroked him. "As of the moment, we have several major targets: the Innovators' mothership and the Decepticon bases on Earth and Mars. Standby for now. We'll deliberate on a plan of action when Kati awakens. We'll pool our strength together and help our comrades on Earth defeat Megatron's armies."

"Kati…?" Prime blinked. "Ah, yes. She's resting in Krung Thep's ward as of now, isn't she? Lasse, Feldt and Anew returned to the near side of the moon after my battle against Starscream and recovered the remnants of her star fleet."

"I should go and visit her, Optimus. She'll be disoriented when she realizes she's in the hospitality of a Celestial Being space colony. I'll do my best to convince her to join us." Sumeragi smiled knowingly at him. "After some thought, I've decided to christen our alliance the Prime Coalition – in your name, under your banner."

Optimus chuckled and began to lower his hand, smoothly putting his companion back on the ground. "You're a flatterer, Leesa."

*

_Where… am I?_

_What… is this place_?

Kati Mannequin rubbed her forehead tiredly. She shifted her gaze down to her right arm, her right hand. It twitched obligingly on a comfortable mattress. Encouraged, she glanced around, taking in her surroundings. The room was dimly and comfortably lit. Clean metal walls boxed themselves around her silently. Her glasses lay near a bowl of cooling soup and a cup of cheap coffee on her bedside table. Yet, she felt extremely fortunate. Apart from several mild cramps in her legs and a stiff neck, she seemed perfectly fine. She was dressed in a comfortable, loosely fitting white nightdress. Someone had managed to retrieve her from the suspended darkness of space. She blinked several times in wonder. "But how? Those two Mobile Suits…" Her eyes widened as she remembered the full disaster. That bronze, avian demon, and the Gundam that had hidden amongst them, disguised as a star cruiser…

They had destroyed everything – her army, her comrades, and her lover.

"Patrick," she whispered, gritting her teeth and placing her forearm on her head, clenching her fist. "You daft idiot. You claimed to be an ace pilot, did you not? How could you have lost against those Mobile Suits?"

"Nergal and Behemoth are more than just Mobile Suits," came a suspiciously familiar voice, catching Kati unawares. "They are Cybertronian-customized Gundams that house the sparks of individual Transformers. In Nergal and Behemoth's cases, they accommodate the sparks of Starscream and Blackout respectively. They are the Cybertronians that destroyed your fleet."

Kati suppressed a gasp of astonishment. She groaned and forced herself to rise, her white dress crinkling. "It… can't be." She rubbed her eyes and focused her gaze on the right corner of the room, the point of the voice's origin. A uniformed Sumeragi Lee Noriega came into her slightly blurred sight. As their eyes met, a rushing tide of recollections from their schooling years instantly came crashing down upon the shores of the two women's memories. "Leesa… Kujo?" Kati's eyes narrowed as she reached for her spectacles with a stiff hand. "Please tell me I'm having a nightmare."

Sumeragi smiled apologetically, acknowledging the bundle of contradictory emotions that must have been churning in Kati's stomach. "It's been a long time, Kati. You're safe now, and – "

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Kujo?" snapped Kati, her calm momentarily breaking. Their reunion was anything but uplifting. Sumeragi's Celestial Being attire indicated nothing more than the fact that they sided with opposing military factions. But the Decepticon invasion had changed the nature of the war. Her fleet at Lagrange 2 was gone, and Patrick no longer stood beside her – what was she to do? How could she possibly resume command of the Federation's scattered remnants in a state like this? And especially when she was an indebted captive to Celestial Being?

"If you wish to continue the fight against the Decepticons, then please do so by our side," prompted Sumeragi suddenly. "I won't make a pretence of small talk, even though every fibre in me yearns to ask you about your health… and why you decided to serve the A-Laws. But I will steel myself; in the same way you seem to have hardened your heart. Let me be direct with you, Kati. The Decepticons will not discriminate between human factions. They will gladly eradicate all of what they see as the disease of organic life. That is why I want to look beyond petty differences in ideology, or allegiance, or sectarian loyalty. So far, it's actually worked. You might be interested to know that Pang Hercules and Sergei Smirnov no longer serve the Federation. Optimus Prime and I persuaded them to join forces with us."

"Impossible," whispered Kati in disbelief. "Officer Hercules? Officer Smirnov?"

"They have been complicit in our countermeasures ever since the Memento Mori was unleashed upon the Kingdom of Suille."

_Memento Mori_…? "I'd be the first to admit that the incident was a deplorable disaster. I fervently disagreed with it myself. But even that wouldn't be enough to satisfy Smirnov. His loyalty went beyond sentimentality," growled Kati. She shook her head, perturbed and disorientated. "Why have those generals decided ally themselves with Celestial Being and the Autobots? Why has the Federation been abandoned like this? I don't understand."

"I earned the Wild Bear's temporary trust by exposing my identity to him over several weeks of secret communication. I alerted him to the Autobots and their history with this planet, and I gave him all our files to prove it. After this gesture of transparency on my part, he saw no reason to continue tolerating the brutality of the men he was forced to work with. Pang Hercules was convinced of his coup d'état's legitimacy after two rogue Federation agents presented him with the secret files of the A-Laws. They do not support Celestial Being, but they have sympathies of their own with the Autobots. I understand that many, though they may still consider Celestial Being their enemies, are fighting to right the wrongs that have been committed against the Cybertronians. To me, that is more than enough. Together, Sergei, Pang, Optimus, and I are the four leaders of the Prime Coalition. And I want you to become the fifth."

Sumeragi's eyes hardened in conviction. "To put it frankly, we have no other option. Your friends never abandoned the Federation; it is preposterous to believe that they somehow became your enemies. But we're not fighting mere humans. We are fighting creatures with capabilities beyond our comprehension, and who possess the supercomputer Veda. Against such adversaries, we could not hope to survive on our own. _You_ cannot hope to survive on your own."

She bit her lip. "Please. For your own sake, you must learn what has happened between the humans and the Autobots up till now. I must tell you about the ultimate intention of Celestial Being's founder, Aeolia Schenberg. I must tell you about the Earth-Cybertron dialogues."

Kati nodded slowly, adjusting her glasses. _Autobots? Celestial Being? Earth-Cybertronian dialogues_? If she were perfectly honest with herself, she did feel slightly – very – intrigued by Sumeragi's information. It was, perhaps, her only means to understanding just how she could reverse, or at least mitigate, the cataclysm that had befallen Earth.

"I'll play along, Kujo, but when this is all over, you _will_ answer for your crimes. I'll make sure of it," she said cautiously. "Not because of your liaison with the Autobots, but for everything you've done as a member of your paramilitary organization. Are we clear?"

Sumeragi fell silent, gazing sadly at her onetime classmate, her friend.

"Kati…"

*

_Krung Thep east wing_

It was Marina's first meeting with Prime as Bhagavan Gundam. Setsuna had insisted that she see his new Mobile Suit, to glimpse the potential that he embodied. She considered herself a friendly acquaintance of the Autobot leader, although she had never befriended him on the same level as Setsuna. She understood the bond between her beloved and Prime to be beyond mere camaraderie. They shared a telepathic connection through the GN Particles, and could interface with one another via Veda. Now that Prime was a living repository of the supercomputer and the GN Particles, such an intimate bond could only grow stronger.

The threesome's reunion at Krung Thep would confirm her intuitions.

Prime received the couple in the hangar after everyone had finished resting from the battle of Lagrange 2. Garbed in his Celestial Being uniform, Setsuna had taken hold of Marina's wrist, gently guiding her to the feet of Prime. To suit the occasion, she had donned a frilled white shirt that was hugged by a purple vest and an immaculate blue coat, matched by a pearly pair of elegant trousers. She exuded the aura of a true stateswoman. Still, like a pilgrim approaching a sacred shrine, she neared the cosmic being with a degree of cautiousness. For a devout believer like herself, the self-disclosure of Allah always proceeded from a free act of divine will, and was a gift of loving self-expression. Humanity could not force its way to see God by way of "right." Only Allah could invite humanity to approach the holy presence.

But Prime was not a deity, and he was evidently different from Allah. He went down on one knee and drew closer so that the couple could see his face directly. His welcome was warm as he peered at them through twinkling, orange-blue optics. "Marina Ismail, princess of Azadistan," he offered, with the respect that a dignitary accorded to a head of state. "Hello again."

"Optimus, Prime of the Cybertron planetary system," reciprocated Marina deferentially, as Setsuna released her. "It is my honour to stand in your shadow, for the Autobots' kindness has awakened our noblest impulses – to protect the fragile planet we inhabit, but also to love and cherish ourselves. It is nothing less than an act of Providence that you have come to Earth during this era of dire need." She smiled up at him. "Have you summoned me for any particular reason, Optimus? It would be my pleasure, of course, to simply keep you company, just as Soran has done."

"He has imparted to you his true name?" confirmed Prime, glancing at Setsuna.

"Yes." She nodded, clasping her hands. She smiled at the not-too-distant memories of their first act of love. "He told me… some time ago, before his battle in London."

Prime paused reflectively, raising his right hand.

"You love Soran, do you not?"

Marina blushed, pleased that the wise Autobot had asked such an honest question. She did not hesitate to answer. "I… I do."

"And you love Marina, Soran?"

Setsuna looked at his robot friend curiously, but like Marina, he trusted Prime completely. "Yes."

"I asked you to come here, Marina, because Soran's Innovator capabilities are growing by the day with continued exposure to GN Particles. They are particularly strong in a Gundam's Twin Drive System, and since I have two solar furnaces, he is able to cultivate his power not only through 00 Gundam, but also through me. His development will therefore be accelerated considerably." He studied Marina closely. "Have you journeyed into the quantum world before?"

She shook her head, realizing his intentions. "No, I haven't. Are you going to take me there?"

She and Setsuna blinked as GN Particles surrounded them. The Twin Drives behind Prime were humming, and his output was increasing by the moment. "Quantize, Soran," urged Prime softly. "Unite with me. Let's enter the realm of understanding."

Setsuna nodded slowly, and the colour in his eyes shifted. His consciousness delved deep into the blind eternities of Veda, and as he encountered the face of Bhagavan Gundam in his mind's eye, the quantum realm suddenly opened before them, engulfing man, woman and robot in a dazzling universe of pure consciousness. For a moment, Marina closed her eyelids, blinded by the unexpected light. But slowly, the realization dawned on her that the light didn't hurt her eyes at all. She looked around the tinkling shards of brilliance anxiously, before realizing that she was naked.

"Hello?" she called, hugging herself despite the pleasant warmth. Her hair draped past her slim back. "Can anybody hear me? Soran? Optimus?"

"Marina," echoed Setsuna's serene voice. Encouraged, she looked up as he appeared, his lean, bare body shimmering into view. He opened his arms, as handsome as ever. "This is where the quanta gather. I have come to this place many times before, because I hold the key to unlocking its door. One day, people won't need Optimus or I, and will be able to understand each other on their own. But for now, I can show you this dimension where we need not hide anything from each other," he said.

"I don't wish to hide anything from you," replied Marina gladly, floating to him and embracing his ethereal form. She buried her face in his chest, quaking with pleasure as he pressed her to him firmly. "This is like Heaven," she whispered, looking down at their feet towards the bottomless light that never seemed to end. "It's beautiful, though I dare not say if gives us a glimpse of the Hereafter. But… where's Optimus?"

They blinked as their bare feet suddenly touched ground, a ground of e-carbon. Setsuna cocked his head in puzzlement. Never before had he felt gravity in the quantum realm. Whenever he found himself in this idyllic, quasi-paradise, he would allow himself to simply drift through the bright eternities, hovering to and fro at will.

_Unless_…

Prime's silver hand finished materializing under their legs, and his crowned, faceplated face appeared in front of them, his blue-orange optical sensors radiating particles. He blinked, looking at them closely. Marina could not help sighing, tingling flutters of surprise running through her. And strangely, as she and Setsuna exchanged gazes with Prime, the couple did not feel embarrassed in the least. It was, in fact, extremely affirming to have him watch them, holding each other's bare bodies. There was a primeval innocence about the whole affair, in which there was no reason to mask their mutual love from him. Their union in the unearthly domain had allowed them to realize authentic intimacy… without _any_ restrictions.

"When I first descended to Earth, I didn't expect my destiny to be so intertwined with your kind," said Prime softly. "As an heir of Aeolia Schenberg's legacy, I now know better. Although we Autobots must play our part in the momentous calling to protect the world, the true struggle rests with you: with humanity and its journey towards Innovation. Although we have become Gundams, we can only act as your guides to new worlds. It's up to you to guide your species out of its infancy, which is a far more important achievement than mere space travel. I firmly believe in your potential to do that, because you've already shown me your promise from the innermost depths of your hearts.

"You are infinitely precious human beings. Fate has found you and brought you together to heal the universe," he concluded proudly. "It rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing. But be honoured that it has chosen you."

Naked in the regal Prime's presence, Setsuna and Marina could only nod, their hands clasping warmly as the trio continued to commune amongst the quanta.

"We won't disappoint you, Optimus."

*

*

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A/N: With the entrance of Mahisha, Anointed and Surya, here are the updated Autobot Mobile Suit tech specs for Ironhide, Ratchet and Bumblebee.

**Ironhide: AUTO-03 Mahisha Gundam **

Model Number: AUTO-03

Unit Type: Veda-Cybertronian MS

Launched: Anno Domini 2312

Manufacturer: None

Operator: Veda/Ironhide

Known Pilot: Ironhide

Overall Height: 18.5 metres

Weight: Unknown

Power Plant: GN Drive

Accommodation: Spark located in Gundam torso

Armour material: Cybertronian e-carbon

Armaments: GN Twin Fission Cannons x2

Special Equipments and Features: GN Field, Trans-Am System

Alternate mode: Artillery truck

Name: Derived from the Sanskrit word for "bull."

Overview: Mahisha Gundam is a well-armoured and sturdy Gundam, and the only Mobile Suit that possesses one weapon. However, this weapon is the single most devastating armament that Veda can offer to an Autobot. It can be configured to unleash tactical nuclear missiles that wipe out entire armies, or adjusted for greater firing accuracy and frequency in Laser Fusion Mode. For the weapons specialist, the lack of close range weapons is a worthy price, for the Twin Fission Cannons are the perfect upgrades to his larger, stronger Mobile Suit mode.

**Ratchet: AUTO-04 Anointed Gundam **

Model Number: AUTO-04

Unit Type: Veda-Cybertronian MS

Launched: Anno Domini 2312

Manufacturer: None

Operator: Veda/Ratchet

Known Pilot: Ratchet

Overall Height: 17.8 metres

Weight: Unknown

Power Plant: GN Drive

Accommodation: Spark located in Gundam torso

Armour material: Cybertronian e-carbon

Armaments: GN Beam Sabre, GN Beam Rifle, GN Forearm Plasma Cannon, GN Chainsaw, Healing Plates

Special Equipments and Features: GN Field, Trans-Am System, GN Healing

Alternate mode: Medic station

Name: Derived from the nature of the Messiah, or "Anointed One."

Overview: Anointed Gundam is extremely proficient in close-quarters combat, armed with a devastating GN Chainsaw that acts as a primary weapon for Ratchet. Anointed also can hold its own in air and long-distance combat with its Beam Rifle and Forearm Plasma Cannon. Its most unique ability, GN Healing, is to visibly repair any object with metal properties via GN Particles.

**Bumblebee: AUTO-05 Surya Gundam **

Model Number: AUTO-05

Unit Type: Veda-Cybertronian MS

Launched: Anno Domini 2312

Manufacturer: None

Operator: Veda/Bumblebee

Known Pilot: Bumblebee

Overall Height: 15 metres

Weight: Unknown

Power Plant: GN Drive

Accommodation: Spark located in Gundam torso

Armour material: Cybertronian e-carbon

Armaments: GN Solar Blaster, GN Beam Sabre x2, GN Large Plasma Cannon

Special Equipments and Features: GN Field, Trans-Am System, Colloid Immobilization System, Trial System

Alternate mode: Galactic speeder

Name: Derived from the Sanskrit word for "sun."

Overview: Surya Gundam is the smallest Gundam of the Autobot Mobile Suits. However, it is also the fastest and possesses a unique Colloid ability that jams the frequencies of all machines in a radius of one kilometre. Its Solar Blaster, drawing direct energy from the sun, is almost limitless in its reservoir of strength. Its secret ability, based on the powers of its Colloid Immobilization System, is the feared Trial System, making it the Autobot counterpart to Seraphim Gundam. It does not look too dissimilar from Bumblebee's former combat mode (complete with his battle mask), although it is better-armoured and possesses a GN Drive and a signature crest.

*

A/N: Chapter 21 and Chapter 22 mark important milestones in TF 00. The first milestone is that Veda has been retaken. Now that all five Autobot protagonists have assimilated the supercomputer and obtained Gundams, the fight against the Decepticons is no longer hopeless. Chapter 22 sees the reunion of Sumeragi and Kati, and the latter's reluctant agreement to join the united front against Megatron. With the A-Laws effectively destroyed and the Federation in tatters, Kati has become one of the five leaders in command of the Prime Coalition, along with Sumeragi, Pang Hercules, Sergei Smirnov, and Optimus himself. The alliance has also been strengthened by the introduction of Celestial Being's replacement flagship for Ptolemaios, an interstellar space cruiser with Cybertronian properties (CBS-80 Mobile Fortress Persephone). On the more intimate side, Setsuna, Marina and Optimus have come to consolidate a very close bond, sharing company in the quantum realm in which all three come to understand each other. I emphasize this bond not only because Setsuna and Marina are in love, but also because of the connection between Setsuna and Prime, where their very lives – their consciousnesses and their powers – are interdependent.

With these current events in mind, I'm taking a short break to not only write other things, but also to plan the final chapters of this story. It's not really a "second" series of chapters, since I don't want to make this a huge project. Still, a decent finale needs good planning and good buildup. This is a fanfiction of moderate length, but it attempts to express many things based around the themes of Gundam 00 and Transformers. In this story, those themes are expressed through the idea of Aeolia Schenberg's dialogues. Some of the constant themes are the evolution and maturity of humanity and an alien race's self-imposed exile. Diverse lovers fight a galactic war. The atheist Setsuna falls in love with the devoutly religious Marina. Understanding takes place in the crew's friendship with the Autobots, in the romance between Lockon and Anew, and in the intimate comradeship between Prime and Sumeragi. I've also offered musings on the Absolute and how the protagonists might embody aspects of transcendence. Most importantly, Celestial Being and the Autobots' adventures chronicle the strange relationship between humanity and the Transformers as a whole, after three hundred years of separation.

Your feedback will help me decide what I should write more about and what to write less until this story's conclusion. But in the meantime, don't forget to support the new Transformers movie! It's definitely one of the few Hollywood movies I'll like… -.- I'd also give a heads-up for the Gundam 00 movie coming in 2010, but that's obviously some time away. Anyway, until the next update after my break, thanks for reading. I shall return soon…

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The year is 2312 A.D. – the age of Aeolia Schenberg's monumental dialogues between Earth and Cybertron. Against the backdrop of humanity's evolution, the Earthen-Cybertronian War sweeps across the solar system as Megatron's Decepticons overrun the Earth-Sphere Federation with upgraded bodies of Gundams. With Veda in Cybertronian hands, the war on Earth has reached an unprecedented scale. The planet has already been marked for extinction, but Megatron won't stop there. Once all organic life has been purged, his limitless legions of metal will return to scour the universe in cosmic conquest, in a perversion of Schenberg's hope for humanity to explore space in unity and peace.

Megatron's victory is not guaranteed, however. Between Optimus's new power as Bhagavan Gundam and his considerable skills as a military leader, the Prime of Cybertron has launched a complicated counter-strategy and organized an alliance between his Autobots, Celestial Being, Katharon, and the Federation's dissident forces. The first Innovator of mankind, Setsuna F. Seiei, and the crew of the Persephone also stand ready to resist the forces of Megatron to their last breaths – not simply as members of Celestial Being, but as humans of free will. As he discovers his new amazing capabilities – including interfacing with Veda, quantizing with any sentient of his choice, and even unlocking new powers within 00 Raiser, he also struggles to bear the burdens of those dearest to him. Desperate times have called for diverse warriors and visionaries to unite under the Prime Coalition, but the maturity of mankind rests almost solely on Setsuna's shoulders as he fights for a new, gentler future.

The combatants have all been assembled, and the struggle for the future of the planet is reaching its crescendo. The greatest threat to the cosmos ever known has never been stronger. Therefore, there is only one way to defeat Megatron: together.

_The Decepticon nightmare will continue_.


	24. Chapter 23: Reborn in a Supernova

A/N: Hi, as promised, I'm back from my short break. I hope I didn't give the impression that I was gone for long. I'm giving a talk about Buddhist spiritual care next month, so while I work on it, TF 00 updates might come a day or two later than the usual three or four. I find this unlikely, though. :D

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_Veda has been retaken, but the Earthen-Cybertronian War rages on._

The omniverse is under attack from merciless foes. No nation is safe from their onslaught. No creature can escape their clutches. Flooded by the servants of the Lord High Protector, Megatron, Earth has but one hope: unity and alliance in the face of the Decepticon legions.

To counter the threat from their own homeworld, the Autobots have attained bodies of Gundams to protect humanity's embattled planet. Additionally, Celestial Being's crew has been blessed with a new starship, Persephone – the very first Mobile Fortress of its kind. Earth's best hope now lies with CBS-80's team, but the road to emancipation will be long.

There is no rest for the wicked, or for the noble, or even for those in between.

*

**Chapter 23:**** Reborn in a Supernova**

_Fereshte command centre. Central bridge sector_

The stars looked particularly bright tonight.

Garbed in Fereshte's blue-white uniform, the white-haired, blue-eyed woman named Chall Acustica could not help staring into the blinking lights as the image of Plutone Gundam replayed in her mind's eye over and over again. Years ago, she was chosen to become a Gundam Meister for her peerless academic performance and her high Power Loader ranking. Even now at thirty-six, she still believed firmly in the ideals of Aeolia Schenberg. Why else did she remain here, working as the leader of the Gundam Meisters' shadow face?

But Schenberg's vision also served as the most painful reminder of her failure to protect her friends. It was an overload of GN Particles in Plutone Gundam, the predecessor to Virtue, that had killed her two closest companions, Ruido Resonance and Marlene Vlady. It was the accident that had led to the death of Feldt Grace's parents.

Her gloved hands clenched behind her back briefly. _I have worked under this paramilitary organization for so many years, and formed Fereshte to serve its purposes. But even when I watched Aeolia Schenberg broadcast our message of armed interventions to the world, I never predicted it could have come to this. I could never predicted that his complex plan…_

_Had to do with friendship – with aliens from Cybertron_…

"All pensive yet again, huh?" asked a sneering man behind her, with beige hair and bloody red irises. He had a wolfish grin, one that actually exposed one of his canines. Wearing a black and white jacket and khaki trousers, he slowly reached out to touch her. Several years ago, his handcuffs would have made it difficult – and conspicuous. But ever since the control cuff around his neck detonated after he disobeyed Veda's orders, nearly killing him, no machine bound him anymore. Only his will constrained him, but his will was as free as the open blue sky of Earth.

"Thank you for your concern, Fon," said Chall coolly, although her words were genuine. Her spectacles reflected the stars outside. "But your involvement with Katharon will be enough. See to it that they don't discover your true identity – especially now that they are working so closely with Celestial Being to defeat the Decepticons. I've also relayed new orders to Eco, Sherilyn, and Hayano. Sumeragi and the Autobot leader, Optimus Prime, are the supreme commanders of the alliance. We are to cooperate with them in their efforts to drive the Decepticons off Earth. But our usual guarantee of total secrecy remains. Don't let anyone see your Gundam – and if they do, make sure they're silenced."

"Oh, baby," whispered the slightly unhinged but murderously analytical Fon Spaak. He licked his lips and sniggered. "This whole… Earthen-Cybertronian War's brought out the thrill in you, hasn't it? Just when I thought you couldn't get more conflicted, more contradictory. You're reduced to a giggling girl by that Vashti geezer, to a doting mother in Hayano's company, and to a sniveling, indecisive wreck when you see _that_ Gundam!" He suddenly smiled. "Plutone…"

"You know I don't want you to pilot that irredeemable hazard, yet – !" She turned around too late, her eyes betraying her agitation and distress at Plutone's mere mention. Caught off-guard, she could only watch Fon helplessly as he cupped her cheek with one hand and pushed her against the expansive window with another. Her hands pushed the barrier as he drew nearer, irrupting into her personal space and filling it with his dark, overpowering presence. Their gazes kissed, violently and avidly. The commander of Fereshte struggled briefly as she stared up at his excited face, her back pressing against the tektite glass. "What – what are you doing, Fon?"

"Haha! _Gahahahaha_." The twenty-three year old delinquent grinned manically. "You know things have changed between us, don't you? I can see it in your lips. How your body cries 'no,' but your eyes scream, 'now!' Don't you remember when you assigned to us Fereshte's very first mission? I vowed to change your past self with the very Mobile Suit that terrified you. Plutone Gundam – that Mobile Suit that you cowered away from like a little girl about to be gang-raped!" He bared his teeth. "The wounds of the past don't leave just because you lick them. You gotta watch them… observe them… decide!" His grin widened. "And then you have to act!"

She shook his words away even as she gave up resistance. Their bodies were close, intimately close. "You have no idea how frightening the prospect of losing someone can be," she protested.

"Filled with anger… with hate… with fear… I was so fucking frustrated every time that bumbling Eco accused me of those weaknesses." His face was swirling with agitation. "How many times have I told you? Everything will be fine because we're going to correct our mistakes. So stop your freakin' worrying. Leave it to me – I'll kill everyone who tries to take this solar furnace… human or Decepticon."

Chall wanted to silence his arrogant boasting with a warm kiss, but she knew that it would always be Fon that made the first move. If he did not conquer her and make her his companion-in-crime _now_, then the time probably wasn't right.

Probably.

She looked away, flushing as she felt his lips just brushing against her reddening cheek. "Fereshte will continue operating as Celestial Being's warden – and these Autobots that have become Gundams," she said quietly, although her breathing was audible. "We will continue to support them with all our strength –not to only defeat these Decepticons, but also to realize Aeolia's hope for a truly peaceful world."

Fon Spaak's hands had not left her. He simply grinned that canine grin of his again, and replied with a mocking, bitingly playful salute. "Yes, _Ma'am_."

*

_21:00 hours_

The bomber-esque Persephone had finally departed from Krung Thep in its maiden voyage to sortie against the Decepticons. Sumeragi had forecasted that a titanic battle between the interstellar invaders and the Innovator mothership was imminent. Given the proximity of the moon, where the colony cruiser was stationed, and the retreat route of Starscream and Blackout, which had been mapped and traced by Mileina to terminate on Mars, a mutual offensive was only a matter of time for Ribbons Almark and Starscream.

According to Ian, Celestial Being's new flagship would be capable of engaging both enemy factions with little difficulty. Only time – and battle – would tell.

Living on board the huge space cruiser resembled life in Ptolemaios II quite closely, although it felt considerably more spacious and comfortable. Unlike Ptolemaios and its successor's tactical hall, Persephone's was two times larger, circular in structure, and sported a large emblem of Celestial Being at the centre of the grey-black floor. Crewmembers still retained their usual seating positions, with Lasse and Anew at the helm, Sumeragi seated in the middle, and Feldt and Mileina behind her. Their seats were more ergonomic and comfortable, and their monitors had been upgraded as well. Small but noticeable touches like these prompted the crewmembers to think of Ian with gratitude.

Feldt also enjoyed the new touches the Vashti family had given to the mess hall and lounge. The cooking facilities had been upgraded considerably, and supplies were restocked with food that would have befitted a respectable restaurant on Earth. She had cooked herself a generous dinner of mashed potato and vegetable medley, enjoying the quiet and peaceful atmosphere of the otherwise empty room. She made her way back to the control room after washing up, her face reflective as she gazed at the ground, her booted feet hovering gently above the metal floor.

Feldt's mind began to wander. Quite some time had passed since any intimate words were exchanged between Setsuna and herself. Her work was imperative to the ship's safety and effectiveness in combat, and she prided herself on providing the very best service to Sumeragi and Celestial Being. But as her short time on Persephone had already proved, she did enjoy a little reprieve every now and then.

"_If I left Earth to travel in space, I'd… like to write you a letter_."

"Those words," she whispered to herself. "I wonder… what would he write?"

"What are you thinking, Feldt? What are you thinking, Feldt?"

To her surprise, Celestial Being's orange Haro suddenly bounded off the walls, enjoying the freedom it was permitted in the wider halls of Persephone. It passed by her, chirping merrily as another Haro of red colour joined it, bouncing off from the corridor that opened up to her right. "What's wrong, Feldt? What's wrong, Feldt?" they asked again kindly.

She could not help smiling at their concern. These round, ball-shaped machines were the first friends that she had made in her childhood, and their ability to talk in basic speech and repeat themselves was extremely endearing, although they were capable of detecting basic emotions in human beings such as anger, fear, happiness, or discomfort. It was up to her, however, to articulate those emotions to the Haros, who could then process them and evaluate on an appropriate reaction. Drawing down, she opened her arms for orange Haro to leap into. Characteristically, it repeated its question, and Feldt's smile broadened. "I… I'm just thinking about friends." She looked onwards. The corridor was coming to an end, and two diverging passageways awaited her. "I… sometimes wonder what my place is amongst them. I know what Neil meant to me. I know what Christina meant to me. But…" She stroked Haro's brow. "But I don't know what Setsuna means to me."

Suddenly, orange Haro felt that it understood. "Feldt has a crush! Feldt has a crush!" it chirped cheerily, proud of its efficient decoding of secondary, subliminal verbal data. Red Haro flapped its sensory wings in agreement, trilling its praise for orange Haro.

Feldt grew redder. "No, I don't!"

"You sound upset, Feldt," came the voice of the man that had pervaded her thoughts for the past few weeks. She let out a quiet "eep" and whipped around, staring into powerful, mature eyes. Setsuna stood behind her, hugging his blue helmet with his right hand as he adjusted his pilot suit's collar. "Is Haro bothering you?"

"Hey, Setsuna," she mumbled shyly, blinking. Something in his gaze had mysteriously changed. It did not reflect her clumsiness at all, and it seemed to absorb her embarrassment entirely, taking it within himself so that she could breathe. Those eyes were immeasurably deep, and they seemed capable of embracing all her worries… all her pain. It was as if he had everything to give, and nothing to lose.

She caught herself, remembering to smile. "How – how are you?"

"I am well. I sleep better on this ship than I did on Ptolemaios." He floated closer, his gloved hand trailing along the handrail. "Have you eaten?"

"I made dinner just half an hour ago," she admitted.

He nodded. "I see. I should also eat something before the next mission."

Her heart fell in realization. He had been hoping to spend mealtime with her! "I can go back to the cafeteria, Setsuna," she offered. "I still have a bit of time before my shift's back on – "

"Liar! Liar!" cried orange Haro triumphantly.

"Feldt's a fibber! Feldt's a fibber!" agreed red Haro.

"No!" she cried, unable to silence her mechanoid friends with her hand. She slapped orange Haro lightly, but it suddenly leaped away from her arms, escaping her desperate attempts to catch it.

"Feldt likes Setsuna! Feldt likes Setsuna!" proclaimed the two robotic helpers gaily, completely unfazed by her flustered and slightly reproachful face. "Kiss and tell! Kiss and tell!"

She moved to catch them, but bizarrely, it was Setsuna who took hold of her this time, gently reaching for her wrist and wrapping his palm and fingers around it. She turned around, jade eyes uncertain and upset. "Yes?" she asked, somewhat defensively. Surely nothing more could go wrong?

She expected him to say something somewhat patronizing, something that would force her to admit her feelings right away. She could hear those words now: "_You've been acting very strangely around me, Feldt. Why_?" or, "_How long have you been hiding this from me_?"

But that was not to be.

"Are you alright?" he said simply, unwilling to release her. He gave a small smile as Feldt stared up at him. His words were almost simplistic in their concern. He did not say anything else, and his voice was neither patronizing nor irritated by her odd behaviour. Nothing about him seemed forced, and she could feel the sincerity imbuing his words with a similar power that she thought belonged to Neil Dylandy alone. "If you're okay, that's all I need to hear. If not… I want to know. You don't need to hide anything."

She smiled bashfully, nodding.

"What exactly might be troubling you?" he encouraged softly, moving to let go. But before he could react, she quickly clamped her free hand over his knuckles, trapping him between her fingers. He blinked, looking at her curiously as her thoughts churned around her bosom. Butterflies began to flutter frantically in her stomach. She blushed again, silent, unsure of what to say. How could she possibly express what was within her? How could she simply blurt it out like a technician's report? Of course she couldn't. Only her heart could fulfill what had been choking her from within. Words were but frequencies drifting through the air. To _touch_ him was the only way.

Her hands slowly lifted and found the back of his head. She pulled gently, guiding him closer to her. He shifted back weakly, but she overpowered him, quietly insistent. Their noses were inches from each other's, and it was at her bidding that he stopped moving, helpless and uncertain.

Why couldn't she stop, even when there was such discomfort on his face?

_Marina. He loves Princess Marina_.

But even that dreaded realization didn't make her hesitate.

Their lips were finally close enough to meet. _I'm not going to wait any longer_, she thought. She closed her eyes. If Setsuna wasn't going to savour the first kiss of her life (Lyle's didn't count), then at least she wouldn't have to see his awkward expression.

_I am so selfish_.

_Click_!

Her eyes shot open and darted to the sound of the camera. "First base! First base!" cried orange Haro, its eyes flashing pink. Bouncing up and down, it stored the image it had saved into its backup hard drive and rolled away as Red Haro followed gleefully. "Shared files! Shared files! Upload to Veda! Upload to Veda!"

"Wait! Haro, come back!" Her face falling, Feldt quickly pulled away, pushing herself away from Setsuna. Flushed and annoyed at the ruined moment, she regained the strength in her legs and gave chase to her mischievous friends, leaving her crush floating gawkily by himself.

"Feldt?" he mumbled, slightly relieved that the Haros had drawn her attention away. He slowly reached out for the fleeing girl, but his kind intentions were cut short as Sumeragi's voice rang out through Persephone's speakers. "All Meisters, make your way to your Gundams at once and prepare for sortie. The Innovator mothership has revealed itself and is headed towards Mars. Already a fleet has been sighted rising from the volcanoes of the red planet. A new battle is about to begin."

He turned around, feeling a surge of adrenaline within him. Feldt and Marina were momentarily forgotten as his eyes surged with colour. "Innovators," he whispered.

"Decepticons."

*

_Mars_

The endgame for the Innovators was imminent. Two micro space-cycles ago, the Decepticons had finished assembling a new fleet, summoned from neighbouring star systems by Veda's call. When the final divisions of maulers arrived, Blackout would accordingly dispatch their legions to consolidate the conquest of Earth. Above an endless throng of thaumaturge engines and twisting ragers that writhed across the crimson volcanoes, three divisions of Alpha Class drones hovered around the rebuilt flagship of the _Nemesis_, consigned to oblivion after the first war on Earth three centuries earlier.

It was a truly mammoth construction. Prickling with Cybertronian cannons, artillery and oversized guns, the black and purple cruiser was capable of interstellar flight, wormhole travel, and laying siege to planets. Its aesthetic form was bizarre, almost misshapen, as if carved by an artisan twisted even by Decepticon standards. It resembled a floating island with jagged peaks protruding from every corner of its surface, except that these razor sharp ridges and mountains were anything but natural. At the front of the starship was a large sculpt of the fearsome Decepticon insignia.

Alone, the predatory, interstellar dreadnought overshadowed a large portion of the entire planet, dwarfing anything the Federation or Celestial Being could offer.

Nergal Gundam hovered before Nemesis's hull, its powerful arms crossed against its broad, silver-bronze chest as its pincers clicked. "So the Autobots have finally met our challenge through their Prime Coalition… and by assimilating Veda for themselves," muttered Starscream, completely healed from the beating he had suffered at Prime's hands. How wondrous were the GN Drives, these machines that seemed destined to belong to Cybertron! "But it is too late. They cannot stop us from claiming Cybertron's right – universal conquest. That is our true nature…"

His optical sensors narrowed as a large object began to uncloak itself beyond the moon. The holographic camouflage slowly fell away from a massive astral object, its main, yellow tail protected by the shell from a harvested comet. "So this is CBS Celestial Being – Earth's so-called defence against us. Soundwave warned me about this," said Starscream. His optics narrowed as he observed the damage that had been inflicted on the surface of the asteroid. Only several operational turrets were visible – many others seemed to have been blasted into wreckage or disabled. Its primary weapon – a manoeuvrable but evidently defunct and broken cannon – hung uselessly to its side, suspended precariously by a damaged metal railing. Obviously, it had endured a previous attack and had not managed a full recovery. It was understandable, given the sheer strength of the onslaught the Decepticons had unleashed. With the Federation in disarray and the A-Laws destroyed, surely the man known as Ribbons Almark no longer enjoyed the same power and influence he once commanded over humanity. But who could have challenged him in a direct confrontation and survived?

"The Autobots must have retaken Veda from this ship," he murmured in realization. "It was once the sole orbital nucleus of Veda. And those weakling Innovators have been powerless to prevent our race from claiming their precious possession."

As if in response to his deduction, a shimmering blanket of red and black suddenly shot forth from the lower portion of the asteroid fortress. Something was approaching at extremely high speed. They quickly came into sight. It was an almost endless stream of oddly shaped, smaller Mobile Suits, hurtling out of two hangars from behind the asteroid aegis and bearing directly for Starscream. They had no long range weapons save for a pair of GN Vulcans, nor did they seem suited for close-quarters combat. "What… could they be – ?" he hissed in shock.

"Trans-Am!" cried a Bring Stabity clone that piloted the Gaga Mobile Suit.

"Trans-Am!" roared a Devine Nova doppelganger.

"Trans Am!" Hundreds more of the same organisms barked their Mobile Suits' full utilization of their pseudo-GN Drives. Their speed augmented to almost untraceable levels, they shot in the direction of the Decepticon fleet, flooding in a wide arc towards the Nemesis, aiming straight for its hull and ignoring the drone fleet that turned to fire at them. Drone pilots in the Nemesis quickly activated the colossal GN Field that wrapped itself around the flagship in a protective bubble of particles. The Alpha fleet began to shoot down the approaching Gagas in earnest, but one of them managed to punch through the forcefield, and a minor explosion rocked the flank of Nemesis.

"It couldn't be. Suicidal imbeciles," whispered Starscream in shock. "What feeble human prank is this?" Yet more Gaga forces streamed towards the Nemesis, pummelling the flank of the ship with a relentless, self-destructive zeal. The sheer size of the Decepticon cruiser protected it from being downed, but considering how many of these screaming idiots were flying towards it, serious damage was imminent. Something had to be done, quickly. Not even the Alpha fleet could match the insane speed of these Gagas, and the Decepticon commander knew this. He snorted in scorn. "If they are so eager to meet their own deaths, then allow me to grant their desires."

A radiant, white beam from the surface of Mars suddenly shrieked towards the Gagas. It shot through the red planet's asteroid ring and punched into the endless horde that poured towards Nemesis with an equally ferocious force. Time seemed to freeze for several moments as the entire line of Gagas was incinerated and reduced into cosmic ash by the shaft of raw energy that moved across the blackness of space, carving through the attacking horde of suicide pilots and eating them alive. The light did not abate and moved past the incinerated Gagas, cutting down all the way to CBS Celestial Being's starports. The hangar bays from which the Mobile Suits came fell silent as the Deception Orbital Particle Cannon melted its entrances, sealing them shut with molten e-carbon. Explosions rocked the side of the mothership as the particle accelerator finally relented, leaving no trace of the dangerous Gagas near the Decepticon fleets. The mighty cannon on Mars gradually silenced itself, its monstrous power effortlessly proving itself a match for the Innovators' GN Rail Cannon.

"You won't be coming back for more after this display of utter superiority, you foolish, desperate Innovators," drawled Starscream.

The destruction of the suicidal Mobile Suits had nearly come at a high price. The Nemesis was slightly damaged, and the drones surrounding the partially smoking hull now swarmed about, initiating repairs on the damaged port. Starscream grimaced, turning around as his spark finally detected the commander of the attacks from CBS Celestial Being. "Your suicidal puppets are not amusing," he called, glaring at a red Mobile Suit that clutched at the rock of the Innovator asteroid shield with two powerful Grappler claws. Its blue-green, telescopic head was not that of a Gundam's, for it possessed an optical terminal akin to the face of a Cyclops. Starscream observed that the Mobile Suit's unusual head and massive hands almost resembled those of a Payload drone's, although its broad front held four powerful beam cannons: two were positioned near its shoulders and another pair attached themselves beside its protruding torso.

"If there's one thing I despise even more than Autobots, it's the fear of life, the fear to live… it is a dread more disgraceful than any other cowardice I can commit. Wouldn't you agree, Ribbons Almark? Self-proclaimed saviour of humanity," called Starscream. "I believe this is our first acquaintance, fleshling."

"You should thank me, Decepticon," crackled Almark's voice. Protected by a green pilot's astro-suit and a helmet of matching colour, he gave a small smile, acknowledging the hitherto unstoppable efficiency of the mechanical invasion. The red Mobile Suit raised its awkwardly unbalanced, almost hunchbacked form from the asteroid, bristling with armaments. "Aeolia Schenberg developed the technology that you and those accursed Autobots have stolen. I am that great man's heir, so in effect, you stole something that belongs to me."

"I have already bestowed my gratitude upon Setsuna F. Seiei," replied Starscream dismissively. "I do not care for mere Innovades who are attempting to pass off as true Innovators. Don't think that I am ignorant of your kind's true nature, Ribbons Almark. You are but a cheap prototype of the true thing. Setsuna F. Seiei is my true interest… not you."

Almark's eyes narrowed. "You are thanking the wrong man. You have no right to those genuine solar furnaces. They are mine! They should belong to me!" he declared, his voice rising. It was galling. No matter how deadly his Mobile Suit seemed, no matter how formidable it was, it still emitted red particles – inauthentic particles.

Harmful particles.

"You believe yourself superior to your fellow Innovades, who in turn believe themselves superior to humankind. But the reality is that I am capable of many things you are powerless to accomplish," said Starscream. He raised his hand, clenching it. "My assimilation of Veda is but one of those things. Yet you have nothing. You have no one left, Ribbons Almark. Your Earthen armies lie in ruins, and what remains of the resistance despises you. In a matter of months, perhaps even weeks, the Decepticons will reign supreme over this solar system. And your precious plan for this world will be ground to dust."

"You are wrong, Starscream. I am the world's first Innovade that has transcended himself and attained the status of a true Innovator. I shall be the one to send your sinful kind into oblivion for daring to defy me. This is as far as you go, for I am humanity's messiah!" Almark didn't deign to elaborate further as he pushed his clutch forward. "Reborns Cannon!" Two flares erupted behind his battlesuit as it raised its GN Buster Launcher and hovered higher, lifting off from CBS Celestial Being completely. Starscream suspected that those flares came from fake solar furnaces.

_You dare to challenge me with your slipshod, human-built Mobile Unit? It is hardly worthy of a Gundam's attention, let alone mine_.

He snorted scornfully, raising his arms in mocking defiance. Tapping into his system, he sent a telepathic message through Veda to all Decepticons: _Do not engage the enemy just yet. Let me fight him. But if I am weakened, distract his attention so I can kill him_. His pincers clicked readily. "Nergal Gundam – Starscream!" he proclaimed with relish, his genuine GN Drive humming ominously. "Show me your power… all of it, fleshling! Hold back at your own peril."

Almark's eyebrows twitched. "Ribbons Almark… exterminating Cybertronian!" he cried, and Reborns Cannon began to fire from its four cannons, quadruple scorching streams of pure energy blasting at Starscream. Nergal Gundam responded with its own Null Rays, and the projectiles met in a dazzling firestorm. Another explosion rumbled around the perimeters of CBS Celestial Being and Nemesis. Reborns Cannon was built specifically for long-range bombardment, and it unleashed another burst of plasma beams even as Nergal closed the distance between them, drawing its beam sabre gleefully. The Cyclops head of Reborns was in sight and growing larger as Nergal accelerated to a speed that outpaced sound itself.

"A pity," sneered Starscream. "You are apparently helpless if an enemy obliges to engage you in close-quarters combat."

Almark's lip curled. "Apparently."

Before Starscream could connect his downward slash, he was hurled back by a powerful counterattack. Almark had unleashed his own beam sabre, and the white-hot, reddish-orange flash smashed Starscream away, who reeled as he almost collided into a wandering asteroid. He growled incredulously. "What the – "

The astonishing transformation was intricate but brilliantly elegant. Reborns's four artillery blasters suddenly folded down, and the alignment of its arms shifted. Its right hand shot into a compartment and was replaced by a left hand. Its original left hand withdrew into a waiting cubicle and converted to a palm and fingers that faced Starscream frontally. A circular thruster opened up at the centre of its torso – except that this torso had become the back column of something quite different. Its red feet receded, revealing white heels that complemented the main body's taller proportions. The Cannon's hunched stature had given way to a much more dignified and martial counterpart, and the true form of Reborns slowly shifted to stare at Nergal, its optical sensors glowing as its crested head gleamed.

A wide, regal crown. Dominant colours of white and red mixed with shimmering gold at the joints of its limbs. And most tellingly: dual GN Drives attached to its elbows. The transformed Mobile Suit raised its Buster Launcher and beam sabre triumphantly, blasting fake GN Particles into the blackness around it. Its solar furnaces hummed loudly in preparation for battle.

"A Gundam," grimaced Starscream in realization. "So I was wrong. That child hasn't quite run out of tricks."

"I may not enjoy the genuine technology that you have stolen, but I have the Twin Drive System. It would be troublesome for a meddlesome robot like you to believe you could lay a claw on me while I possess such advanced technology," came Ribbons Almark's reply, as Starscream flew towards him for another attack.

"But most importantly of all," proclaimed the megalomaniacal Innovator, his eyes flashing as he directed Reborns to raise its sword of light, "this Mobile Suit shall surely be the Gundam… to guide humanity!!"

At a silent accord, Starscream hurtled upwards, drawing his beam sabre and meeting the challenge of Reborns. They pushed against each other as a shuddering field of energy radiated outwards from their epicentre of impact, before Reborns shoved Nergal away slightly. That small opening was all that Almark needed.

"Even if you're a Cybertronian, I can track your movements easily."

Reborns suddenly turned around, its four cannons rising and its Gundam face lowering into its compartment as the Cannon head realigned itself, locking on to Starscream. The Decepticon blanched in surprise at the speed with which Reborns could convert from Gundam Mode to Cannon Mode and vice versa, but he was able to escape the initial barrage of plasma beams by countering with his own Null Ray attack. He aimed his field cannons at Reborns and fired.

"_Die_!"

Reborns evaded clumsily, and the Null Rays battered the sides of the asteroid colony instead. Pounding explosions were visible on the surface as Reborns turned around and intensified its already formidable cannonade. A tremor shook the immediate vacuum of space as Nergal raised its clenched forearm and fired its GN Null Ray II, attempting to break past the firepower from Almark's Cannon with sharper, more focused attacks. But even as plasma dissipated into nothingness, Reborns Cannon quickly shifted back to Reborns Gundam and pointed its sword at Nergal, firing its Buster Launcher as it hurtled back and gave ground. Sensing an opportunity, Starscream growled and raised his own Buster Launcher, dodging the lethal, yellow river of energy before shooting towards Almark.

"Once I see past your strategy, it is futile to attempt it again!"

The two galactic tyrants screeched their weapons against each other again, and as they shot past each other from the mutual force of their impact, a chip of e-carbon flew away from Reborns Gundam's left shoulder. Unhurt in his cockpit, Almark winced in scorn and disappointment. But Starscream hadn't been left unscathed either. Part of his left shoulder was also whittled, and it crackled from the white-hot heat of Reborns's beam sabre. His spark danced inside Nergal as it steadied its sword. This effeminate fleshling's cunning and power almost matched his! It was really quite amusing. And admittedly, it was beginning to feel enjoyable.

"Impressive, boy."

"You're not half-bad, either," sniffed Almark dryly.

*

_Persephone tactical room_

"Starscream and the Innovator Gundam type are engaging in combat," cried Feldt, her eyes plastered on her monitor. "They're both evenly matched, although… the Innovator Mobile Unit has pseudo Twin Drives!" she noted in shock, her fingers frenetic with activity as she continued her surveillance and analysis of the unfolding battle. "Ma'am! Your orders? Should we… help?" she finished awkwardly.

Lasse shrugged. "Ribbons Almark against Starscream? It's nothing more than a massive clash between even bigger egos. Let those bastards destroy each other," he muttered, glancing at Anew.

"But Master Almark… I mean, Ribbons Almark… is in that red and white Gundam," said the defected Innovator quietly. "I may not be his pawn any longer, but he is fighting Starscream. If we are not going to help him… do we intend to attack him?"

"Anew is right," said Sumeragi, smiling grimly. "It's time for Persephone's entrance onto a battlefield of the Earthen-Cybertronian War. Setsuna, Lockon, Allelujah, and Tieria! Head to the hangar now and join Optimus and Jetfire. Prepare your Mobile Suits for launch. We will help that Innovator Mobile Suit defeat Starscream in one decisive battle!"

"Roger," came the Meisters and Autobots' replies.

She pursed her lips. "For the moment, we must leave old hostilities behind if we're to ever beat Megatron and his underlings!"

*

*

*

*

*

I had a thought: it is possible to write sidestories congruent with Transformers 00 (similar to how Gundam 00F directly compliments the events of Gundam 00). We can feature Gundam 00F characters with new Autobots and Decepticons not seen in TF 00, fighting in the shadow of the larger, overarching conflict between Prime and Megatron. It could be nice.

Now let's grab some tech specs for Celestial Being's new primary cruiser – Persephone.

**CBS-80 Mobile Fortress Persephone**

Model Number: CBS-80

Unit Type: Earthen-Cybertronian Mobile Fortress for interstellar travel, space engagement and MS containment

Launched: Anno Domini 2312

Manufacturer: Celestial Being/Fereshte

Operator: Celestial Being

Pilots: Lasse Aeon, Anew Returner

Overall Height: Twice that of Ptolemaios II's

Weight: Unknown

Powerplant: GN Drives/Veda

Accommodations: bridge, sub-bridge, dining hall, quarters, entertainment room, tactical room, observation rooms, hospital, weapons and supplies, Mobile Suit hangar bay

Crew:

- Sumeragi Lee Noriega

- Feldt Grace

- Mileina Vashti

- Lasse Aeon

- Anew Returner

- Setsuna F. Seiei

- Lockon Stratos

- Allelujah Haptism

- Tieria Erde

- Saji Crossroad

- Marie Parfacy

- Optimus Prime

- Jetfire

- Ian Vashti

- Haros

Armor: Cybertronian e-carbon

Armaments:

- GN Cannons x6

- GN Cannon Turrets x8

- GN Flak Cannons x8

- GN Large Missile Launchers x16

- GN Missile Launchers x60

- GN Torpedo Launchers x10

Special Equipments and Features: Trans-Am System, GN Field, e-sensors, atmospheric re-entry, optical camouflage, high GN Particle dispersal, Veda core

Optional Equipments: N/A

Mobile Units:

- GN-0000 00 Gundam

- GNR-010 0 Raiser

- GN-006 Cherudim Gundam

- GN-007 Arios Gundam

- GNR-101A GN Archer

- GN-008 Seravee Gundam

- AUTO-01 Bhagavan Gundam

- AUTO-02 Bennu Gundam

Overview: An adequate response to the Decepticons' power required a new class of spacecraft to host the Prime Coalition's elite forces. As the conflict between Celestial Being and the A-Laws developed into a devastating invasion from an ancient foe, Ian worked feverishly with the staff of Fereshte to harmonize the best of futuristic Earthen technology with the blueprint of a Cybertronian bomber and mass transport carrier. Persephone was built on the assumption that the Autobots would be successful in retaking Veda and obtaining Gundam bodies, and this was (fortunately) realized in the events of Chapter 21. After a brief lull in the conflict in space, Persephone was formally unveiled in Chapter 22. Able to house up to ten Mobile Units, Persephone is twice the size of Ptolemaios II and is protected by a unique, composite armour of e-carbon and Cybertronian metal. Its most special feature is its core: Veda itself, installed by Optimus Prime and able to reach any force that is linked with the supercomputer. Such is Persephone's self-sufficiency, firepower, and interstellar capabilities that as an Earthen-Cybertronian hybrid, it is in a class of its own: the world's very first Mobile Fortress.


	25. Chapter 24: Psalms of World's End

A/N: The character I am about to introduce is a "different" counterpart to that in Revenge of The Fallen. This character's design was ruined by Michael Bay (I'm not saying he wrecked every design), and so I'm sticking with this character's original robot mode: a more humanoid form that _can still transform into a pink motorcycle_…

*

*

*

Chall Acustica: Buried within the blue eyes of this scarred, white-haired lady is the mind of a young girl yearning to laugh and be joyful once more. Having served Celestial Being selflessly for twenty years, Chall is Fereshte's leader and leads the shadow organization to support the Prime Coalition in its struggle to defeat the Decepticon armadas that are swamping Earth. She has a traumatic connection with Plutone Gundam, Virtue's predecessor, and an uncertain relationship with Fon Spaak. Her intrinsically gentle and compassionate nature has led her to nurture unusual and troubling feelings for the ex-criminal.

Fon Spaak: The most volatile human being to ever sit inside the cockpit of a Mobile Suit, let alone a Gundam of unsurpassed power. He is a predatory, ferocious force of nature that has survived a life of murder, wars against the United Nations, and a near-fatal detonation around his neck. However, his analytical skills and mastery in the piloting of Gundams have rendered him an invaluable asset to Fereshte. His reckless, uncontrollable rage is moderated – only just – by the company of his friends and the desire to change the world on his own terms.

Eco Calore: He is a mediocre pilot with a heart of excellence. Despite being constantly sidelined for Gundam missions and mocked by Fon to no end, Eco is ardent in his devotion to Celestial Being, to Fereshte, and to the safety of Chall and Hayano. He is something of a joke, having been disregarded in favour of Setsuna F. Seiei, but sees his career in Fereshte as nothing less than a blessing in disguise.

Hayano: Unlike the Autobots and Decepticons, who know very clearly where their emotions lie, Hayano is unsure of the role her intuition and feelings lie. Formerly known as Gundam Meister 874, the individual assumed to be an emotionless hologram has demonstrated, on more than one occasion, that she is an agent of volition, of will, of desire… of compassion and empathy. Going so far as to save Fon Spaak during the first era of Celestial Being, she has since been severely damaged by her twin, Hayana, and is currently undergoing the final stages of repair in Sherilyn's care

Chall Acustica, Fon Spaak, Eco Calore, and Hayano. They are merely four amongst an endless list of unsung heroes in the Earthen-Cybertronian War. It would be impossible to list them all. For in the shadow of Optimus Prime and Megatron – the elemental representatives of good and evil – there are many that walk within the spaces of dim light, treading the ground of the unknown, and fighting for the future… unnoticed, and uncelebrated.

– _Fereshte Personnel Profiles, Krung Thep Archives_

*

**Chapter 24: Psalms of World's End**

_Berlin_

In an age that could not have imagined harvesting power from the sun, two world wars tore through Europe and left her proud spires subdued and dishonoured. An aeon after that century of shame, the continent was forced to endure that same sense of utter powerlessness, the degrading realization that no matter what she imagined herself to be, she was nothing more than a pawn in the grand game of chess between Optimus Prime and Megatron. She was not necessary. She could even be sacrificed if circumstances warranted it.

Humankind still had much humility to learn.

Flying in front of Lennox's charging men, Surya Gundam rose into the sky, its colloid shade covering the maulers and ragers that tore across the German capital city. As a new wave of sonic frequencies disrupted the pulses within the Decepticons, a powerful ion missile from Mahisha Gundam smashed into the vicinity and incinerated the division in an expanding orb of black and blue lightning. The air was still crackling and fizzling with Ironhide's incredible power when his receivers activated, opening up a new frequency of communication. His optics narrowed suspiciously. Perhaps it was Prime, or Persephone. But why were they attempting contact with him at this time? Had there been new developments at the moon or on Mars?

"Who is this?" he asked warily.

As they held the line against the charging hordes of drones and a division of leveller tanks, Bumblebee and Ratchet still managed to look surprised as a pert female voice rang out from the transmission's opposite end. "This is Arcee, from the sixth tactical squadron. We've recovered all surviving forces and are regrouping in the Gobi Desert. We lost Shanghai, but managed to take back Beijing and the Japanese islands. Am I speaking to our weapons specialist?"

"Arcee," replied Ironhide, his usual gruff voice unexpectedly softening, much to Bumblebee and Ratchet's surprise.

_So she survived_.

The almost hostile harshness in his speech did not abate, however. "Why didn't you contact us earlier?" he growled. "In the time we were split up in the Middle East, the Earth-Sphere Federation declared us outlaws, the Decepticons struck again, the entire world is under attack by their armies, and we've become Gundams – I won't be surprised if you don't understand."

"Did you want me to be an undercover agent, or not?" bit back Arcee wryly. "I need to lie low until the time is right to move around freely without being detected by our hunters. But I've been keeping up with everything that's happened so far, although I'm not entirely sure how you managed to turn into a Gundam. You'll have to tell me about that after we've found some way to rendezvous. Hm. You also sound like you've aged in the last few months we got separated. Missed me?"

"You're not Chromia, kid," grunted Ironhide. "I've done much more than age. I've obtained this planet's supercomputer – Veda's given me the best guns of the lot. Think large nukes, unlimited ones at that. In one indestructible body. Anyway, what are your coordinates?"

"Save the effort. I'm coming to you. I'll track down the signals of the Gundam Mobile Suits in…" There was a momentary silence. "I see. So you and two others are in Berlin. I bet Bumblebee's with you. Say hello to him for me." Arcee paused again. "You're always thinking you can take on the Decepticons by yourself. Just hold on for a little longer. Gundam or not, you could do with reinforcements to finish this struggle. It doesn't make any sense for us to stay apart anymore."

She ended the conversation, and crackling static replaced her dry, vivacious voice. Ironhide continued to hover in the air, his blue optical sensors glowing reflectively as Anointed Gundam rose to join him. "Arcee?" breathed Ratchet. "Is it really her?" But he couldn't ask any more questions, for a new wave of Swindles, Payloads and Dropkicks were surging past the rubble of the Reichstag building, punctually replacing the fallen Decepticons that had been hacked apart by Ratchet's GN Chainsaw.

Ironhide smiled a grim smile. "Until now, I always thought we really were alone. I've never been gladder to be wrong." He glanced at his old friend. "We're holding the line here. We're not conceding any ground until Arcee and her detachment arrive. And even then, we're not giving way. Until Europe is totally cleansed of Decepticons, we're not resting."

Surya raised its Solar Blaster. "That's the Ironhide we know and love," quipped the spark within, as the Autobots and Lennox braced themselves for yet another gruelling battle.

*

Having ensured that her comrades in Berlin weren't dead, Arcee deactivated her communicator and turned around to face her teammates: a robot with a humble delivery van as an alternate mode, and a sleek fighter jet that awaited their boarding. "Are you sure this is the way to go, Arcee?" asked the van robot, shouting above the sand-scattering roar of Breakaway's thrusters.

"Ironhide trained me to utilize my speed and sniping skills for fighting Decepticons, Rollbar. He proved to me that I was capable of more than just racing across Cybertron and tagging turbofoxes. I was a bored and restless lass back then, and he changed that." Arcee smiled. "Let's finish mopping up as many drones as we can in these sectors. Divided we can only go underground, but united with Bumblebee and the rest, we're far stronger."

She smiled to herself as the Autobot agents made for Breakaway's opened cargo hatch. "Here I come, Ironhide… sister Chromia says hi."

Thirteen minutes later, Breakaway was soaring across the crimson skies of Asia, heading westward to the besieged continent of Europe.

Their first objective would be to report in to Ironhide.

*

_Ruins of Moscow_

The Russian front was not holding out well. Many of the primary bastions, such as St. Petersburg and the Caucasus, had already fallen into Decepticon hands. There simply weren't enough Mobile Suits to throw at them. An effective counterattack was looking less and less likely in western Russia, let alone a respectable assault upon the already decimated cities. But at least there was progress in another form. "So Kati Mannequin has joined us?" murmured Sergei, taking a swig of crisp vodka from his hip flask. His bandaged left arm had been savaged by shards of shrapnel that punctured his Ahead in the previous battle, and he was glad for the little time he could use to recuperate. Despite the shelling and shooting that continued round the clock, the bunker kept him and his top officers relatively safe, at least until they ventured out again in their Mobile Suits. "This Prime Coalition is growing even as we continue to lose more to Megatron…" He glanced down at his transmitter. "I suppose such spirit in the human heart is to be expected. I'd better relay this to all Federation troops."

"Come in, Sergei," crackled the speaker. "It's Pang. Sergei, come in."

"We're hemmed in," answered Sergei, his voice a curt grunt. "Most of our Aheads have been taken down by the levellers, and top brass of the Federation aren't going to divide their reinforcements just to save Moscow – they can barely pull themselves together." He adjusted the volume tuner. "I hope your end has good news for me."

"I've made contact with your troop commander – Bruce Lennox – on the Continent. Greece has been secured, although we've suffered almost unbelievable losses. I'd say two hundred or so of our Mobile Suits are either destroyed or defunct. Basic weaponry is all we have left, since Decepticons have awakened in anything of even rudimentary technological sophistication. Thank God that Lennox's Autobot companions have become Gundams. That certainly helps even out the odds, if only slightly. Apart from his notice that there are in fact other Autobots fighting the Decepticons on this planet, I've just received reports that Sumeragi Lee Noriega has engaged Starscream's fleet in space. The war is intensifying as we speak, Sergei. We have to play our part. I have a plan, and – "

"So most of Russia is lost," grumbled the scarred officer, resisting the urge to throw up his hands. "And here the Autobots are, playing their chess games with monsters that can tear us apart like wet tissue. Pang, I don't know what we've gotten ourselves into, but I'm already here, so I'm going to see this through. Time's running out, but at the very least, I want to ensure that my son is safe. The boy might despise me, but in comparison, his hot-headedness is even more dangerous for him."

"I'm afraid you won't be able to see him," said Pang, somewhat abruptly.

"Excuse me?" demanded Sergei.

"Andrei died three weeks ago."

Sergei shot up from his bunker's stale, wooden chair. "What?" he laughed, his voice an incredulous bark. "What did you just say to me?"

Pang's voice suddenly sounded nervous. "He was shot down near the moon by the Decepticon commander, Starscream. There was nothing anyone could do. The entire A-Laws fleet was destroyed in that battle at Lagrange 2. Even Celestial Being had been powerless to intervene until Optimus Prime retook Veda."

Silence permeated the bunker and the crackling frequency.

"My son… is dead?" repeated Sergei quietly. He shook his head, dazed. "Why didn't you tell me, Pang?" he implored, his voice hardening as he admonished his comrade. "Why did you keep such… important news from me?"

"I'm sorry, Sergei. I accessed the casualty list of the Lagrange 2 battle only a few days ago. So many are unaccounted for. But your son…"

Sergei fell silent. His throat and eyes were dry. The distant rumbling of Federation Mobile Suits and Decepticon troops suddenly seemed completely inaudible.

"There wasn't anything anyone could do," repeated Pang's voice through the speaker.

Sergei didn't reply. There was little to say. _He_ had little to say. Even a silent apology to Holly seemed insufficient. _I was a foolish coward to avoid his reproachful eyes… ever since that day I sat in church, ruminating over my darling's sacrifice_…

He could only swallow his disbelief and grief, and force his attention to the crisis at hand. "Let's get back to this grand plan of yours, Pang. I hope it involves laying waste to copious numbers of these Decepticon abominations."

"It does. I've learned everything from Ironhide and Ratchet. The Gundam Meisters will be instrumental in our strategy. Our greatest hope lies with their systems – with a mechanism called the Trial System. It disables all corrupted machines that were stolen from Veda without Aeolia Schenberg's explicit approval. And that includes Decepticons."

Sergei's square jaw clenched. "And just how can we access this Trial System?"

*

_Beyond Earth_

Between the celestial orbs of the moon and Mars, two Gundams clashed furiously, their beam sabres burning against each other as Innovator and Decepticon glared into each other's visuals. "The game is up. Now you're mine," declared Almark, as he deployed Reborns's Fangs. They shot around Starscream, searching out weaknesses in Nergal's joints, but Starscream did not allow them the luxury of lingering around him for long. His beam sabre cleaved through one, shattering it, and he raised his claws, carving up another into useless pieces of red e-carbon.

"How impressive," mock-praised the Decepticon, confident in the presence of Nemesis and its corresponding armada of waiting Decepticon warriors. "To have your little pinpricks tagging along me like fleshling chicks to their hens." He activated his GN Buster Launcher, and several overpowering blasts met Almark's counterattack, blinding both combatants. Reborns flew back, directing its four Fin Fangs to intercept him while sending in the remaining Fangs to finish the fight. Starscream grunted in pain as the plasma blasts from the Fin Fangs smashed into his armour, and he was forced to raise his hands and block a Fang that stabbed at his face. It embedded itself into his left forearm, and a powerful explosion enveloped him in a cloud of purple smoke. Almark looked around, staring keenly into his scanner for a heat signal.

Four dazzling, silver Null Rays suddenly hurtled from the fumes around Nergal, and Reborns attempted to avoid them all by flying higher, but an angry barrage from Starscream's forearm-mounted cannon pummelled Reborns's body, smashing into its limbs. Another explosion rocked the solar system as Starscream snarled maliciously. "Don't take me lightly, Innovator."

Gritting his teeth, Almark glanced down at his radar screen. Four glimmering dots were bearing directly for him. More enemies? He winced in disapproval. The signals came from 00 Raiser, Cherudim, Arios, and Seravee. "Meddlesome humans," he scoffed. His eyes widened as two more shapes appeared behind the initial four. "Who are those? Could they be the Autobots that dared to mock my colony cruiser and steal Veda from me?"

The imposing, sleek Bennu and the shining Bhagavan soared towards Reborns, and Bhagavan raised its GN Longsword, pointing its deadly tip at the Gundam. "Am I addressing Ribbons Almark?" said Prime. "Are you the leader of the Innovators?"

"Optimus Prime," growled Almark, glaring into his primary monitor. "So it really is you."

"If you wish to survive the Decepticons, it wouldn't be wise to take us on as well. But if you let us help you, Starscream will meet his end at our combined force of Gundams and Autobots."

"Who do you think I am? You may have the humans eating out of the palm of your hand, but I am a higher being – higher than even you, perhaps," taunted Almark. "You will pay for daring to interfere with my dreams. I am the heir to Aeolia Schenberg. The Twin Drive System belongs to me, but I see the Autobots are not above stealing from others."

"Save it," snapped Setsuna impatiently, pushing forward his thrusters. 00 Raiser quickly drew its beam sabres. "We're here to help you defeat Starscream – but that doesn't mean we're your allies. Once we beat him, you're next."

Almark smirked. "Thank you, child, but your assistance is really quite pointless."

"How touching," sneered Starscream contemptuously. So the situation was this desperate that archenemies had resorted to double-teaming him? "Human charity – human foolishness – knows no limits." He snarled and raised his claws as 00 Raiser and Reborns hurtled towards him. He dodged a swipe from 00 Raiser's GN Sword II and parried Reborns's beam sabre with his own. The three Mobile Suits struggled against each other momentarily as Setsuna and Almark glared at the Decepticon. "You may think you can overpower me with superior numbers – indeed, your temporary alliance may seem formidable at first glance. But sometimes, I think you intentionally insult me… by underestimating my genius." Nergal Gundam blasted four Null Rays at 00 Raiser, forcing it back, and hurtled upwards, swiping wildly at Reborns, catching Almark by surprise and tearing his GN Buster Launcher from Reborns's hand. "All forces – all Decepticon fleets. I have given you your orders. Now obey them!"

"Enemy forces approaching! Enemy forces approaching!" chirped Haro in Cherudim Gundam. It trilled another warning as a massive body of reinforcements, composed primarily of large Alpha drones, rose from the thin atmosphere of Mars. Their numbers were inestimable. The ocean of lens-creatures raised their cannons and began to fire at the Meisters, who directed their Mobile Suits to scatter hastily. Hundreds more of the space fighters shot up and began to close in on the Gundams. "We're surrounded! We're surrounded!" cried Haro.

Lockon turned around as his scope focused on one of the drones – amidst a sea of its comrades. "Damn it," he whispered. "Even if I can snipe them, there're too many. My skills are worth little here…" And he was right. Seravee had unleashed its Buster Cannon, supported by Bennu's GN Flamethrowers. The tsunami of plasma and cosmic, scorching fire screamed towards Starscream, but a combined counterattack from his GN Null Ray Cannons, his Buster Launcher, and the proton cannons of several dozen Alphas met the assault head-on, resulting in a brilliant collision of flames and leaving a sheet of cosmic residue. Lockon's Rifle Bit's deployed in Assault Mode and began to shoot at the Alpha jets. But aside from an explosion here and there, it made little difference. "Why is it that every time we fight, we're the ones who're outnumbered?"

"Why didn't I notice it before?" growled Prime, twirling his six weapons cautiously. "The Nemesis has almost consumed Mars!" He relayed the image to Persephone and to his fellow Gundams. "This is the Decepticon mothership, fulfilling a similar role to CBS Celestial Being. Approach with extreme caution."

"Copy that, Optimus," affirmed Setsuna.

"What… what is that?" whispered Allelujah suddenly. Tieria and Setsuna turned around as Arios aimed its rifle at a sparkling object gradually became visible beside Nergal. "Everyone, look! It's… some kind of mirage!"

Starscream cackled, raising his GN Buster Launcher and beam sabre. "Well done, Arios Gundam. You realized the plans I set into motion, and I commend you for that. But your little guessing game ends here."

He clicked his claws, and a new Gundam as large as the Decepticon air commander shimmered into sight. The Meisters gasped, and Prime and Jetfire's optical sensors widened. GN Particles fell away and faded towards the surface of Mars as the body rescinded its camouflage. It was enshrouded by two sharp, metal wings that resembled the Alvaaron's of four years past, although they were blue and tinged with silver. Lined with Cybertronian grey, the main body looked similar to that of 00 Raiser's, although its silhouette was far more sinister. Its head, its expression, was grotesque, with jagged teeth that seemed to spill out of its mouth. Its long face was contained in a tall, pointed helmet with a crest. As it opened wide its lean arms, the form of the titan Blackout slowly appeared in the background, hosting another large division of waiting, hovering Alpha drones. Behemoth Gundam stared piercingly at the Meisters and Autobots as its hideous head emerged, eager for revenge.

"Reinforcements," whispered Tieria.

Jetfire grimaced. "Just as I expected of the Decepticons' foremost infiltration operative. It's been a while, hasn't it? You filthy spy."

"_Israfel Gundam_. Soundwave. Preparing for tactical field domination." The blue-white Mobile Suit drew a beam rifle and called forth four silver Fin Fangs from the backpack behind it. They shot towards Jetfire hungrily, and Bennu raised its hands in preparation for retaliation. "Summoning all Decepticon reserves," droned Soundwave emotionlessly, as his Fin Fangs' plasma beams were met by Jetfire's hungry flames. Bennu Gundam's burning optics flashed as it struggled to push back the combined force of the Fin Fangs, but suddenly, the four machines separated and positioned themselves around it, taking Jetfire by surprise as Bennu's fiery stream screamed past Soundwave pointlessly. Israfel's weapons quickly shot Jetfire repeatedly from the north, south, east and west, their lasers smashing into Bennu Gundam and hurling him aside. The once-elderly Autobot groaned in disbelief at being outmanoeuvred by Soundwave, and 00 Raiser hurtled towards the former to help. Israfel looked into Setsuna's display, his optics gleaming with a cold, icy blue.

"You…" snarled Setsuna, his eyes fixated on the wounded form of Jetfire. "Soundwave… you must be the first Decepticon that hacked into Veda." He glanced up and gritted his teeth as he felt Nergal's beam sabre smashing against 00 Raiser's shoulder. "What the – "

"Go, Soundwave," laughed Starscream, pressing down harder. "Engage the Mobile Suits. Blackout, go and feast on their carcasses. That is all I ask."

"Trans-Am!" roared Tieria and Allelujah. Seravee's cannons raised themselves and clicked loudly into position. "Releasing concentrated GN Particles," growled the fourth Gundam Meister. "Into Hyper Burst Mode!" A massive sphere of pure destruction screamed towards Soundwave, whose optics narrowed. Even the GN Field from Israfel wouldn't be enough to absorb a Hyper Burst from a Mobile Suit in the state of Trans-Am. Instead, he gestured his hand coldly, and a dozen Alpha drones obediently flew towards him, positioning themselves in front of him and allowing Tieria's attack to engulf and consume them. A brilliant explosion prompted Soundwave to hastily cloak himself with his silver wings, but it was Tieria who was dumbstruck. "He… he uses his own troops as shields?!"

"At the rate they outnumber us, it's not entirely a ridiculous tactic," said Allelujah grimly. Arios aimed his beam rifle at Israfel, but the latter transformed, quickly converting into a bizarre cruiser of abnormal likeness to the flagship of Nemesis. Otherworldly in construct and almost jumbled in its structure, it was clearly Soundwave's alternate mode.

"Trans-Am," said the Decepticon agent expressionlessly, and Israfel's particle output tripled. His impassive tone seemed to make his declaration all the more sinister.

Allelujah's eyes narrowed. "So this is Arios's counterpart?" he gritted, as his Gundam also transformed, and the two hurtled upwards past the asteroid belt, each attempting to outpace the other. Several dozen Alpha drones blasted toward Soundwave to support him, and Seravee turned to help Arios even the odds. Hyper Burst Mode was almost recharged at full power –

But from the darkness beyond Nemesis, Blackout raised his hand, entering Trans-Am mode and unleashing a hail of missiles at the Meisters. Tieria was caught off-guard as the sudden rain of artillery overcame his recovering cannons. He screamed as Seravee's limbs exploded, almost incapacitating the entire Mobile Suit. Setsuna swore and struggled to break free from Starscream, but the Decepticon leader had him pinned down. He glanced past him as yet more Alpha drones hurtled towards Seravee. He bellowed his protest and called for Lockon's aid. "On it!" roared the Irishman, deploying his GN Rifle Bits. They began a barrage against Blackout, but the Decepticon gargantuan had little patience for the annoying sniping that was characteristic of the viridescent Gundam. Behemoth raised its forearm and fired several EMP Pulses at Cherudim. The Meister smiled. "Don't mess with me, you fugly creature," he breathed, as Haro cheerfully prepared another round of shots as the GN Bits continued to torment Behemoth. "I won't lose one-on-one to anybody in a fight of Mobile Suits – "

Haro suddenly squealed in surprise. "Decepticons approaching from all directions! Decepticons approaching from all directions! Evade! Evade!"

"What the – " Lockon gritted his teeth as his helmet grinded against his scope from the impacts behind and below him. Two Alpha drones had taken hold of him in a tight clinch, and they did not flinch from the electromagnetic blast that deactivated them forever. Their bodies dragged Cherudim down with them, and Lockon punched in emergency measures desperately as Haro reported in their quandary. The lights inside the cockpit were flashing ominously, and Cherudim's primary weapon had fallen silent as GN Particles spilled out of the whining solar furnace. "Damn it!" barked Lockon. "They're sacrificing themselves to help him! These bastards sure know how to take advantage of their numbers – " He couldn't finish as the bodies around him exploded, sending Cherudim hurtling away, its body scorched and burning. Lockon cried out as his cockpit began to crackle and sizzle. _Any more of those swarming bastards and my whole Gundam will detonate_!

Almark stared at the smoking trail of Cherudim and the Alphas in disapproval. "Must I do everything myself?" he snapped, and Reborns Gundam suddenly shifted into Cannon mode, firing angrily at Israfel. "What was the point in suffering your help if you can't even defend against Starscream's cheap tactics?"

Meanwhile, as the battle between the Gundams continued to rage, the atmosphere in Persephone's tactical chamber had grown feverish. Feldt had deduced that the Decepticons were commencing a concentrated invasion from Mars, making directly for Earth. "The Innovator Gundam-type seems to be helping us for the moment, but Starscream's army of space drones heavily outnumbers us, and he's exploiting that to his advantage. They're sacrificing themselves for their masters' tactical advantage," she reported, relaying the coordinates of a possible retreat route for the Meisters. They could not afford to repeat the scrape with death they had suffered in their last battle at Lagrange 2. "Cherudim, Arios, and Seravee are still on my radar, but they've been heavily damaged. 00 Raiser, Bennu and Bhagavan are currently engaging Nergal and a new Decepticon Mobile Suit."

"Optimus and the others need backup," said Sumeragi in consternation. "We have to help. Provide artillery support and distract the Decepticons' attention. "Lasse! We'll outflank them and – "

"That'll have to wait, Ma'am," warned Mileina. "I'm getting a huge energy reading from the surface of Mars – there's a massive Decepticon fleet heading directly for us! This armada's unlike anything I've seen before – " Her eyes widened. "Optimus has relayed to us a colossal object at the centre… it's a ship as large as Persephone!"

"What?" barked Lasse. "Just when I thought we'd gained an advantage over them with our new ship!"

"I'm bringing it up on the screen and running a scan across it," said Anew tersely. She input a command for her monitor's camera to enlarge the image that was fed back to Persephone's database. Her crimson eyes expanded in alarm. "Mileina's right. It's… nothing I've ever seen before. It looks almost organic – with twisted spires everywhere on its surface! It's obviously an extraterrestrial vehicle not of this world. I'll just grab Jetfire's scans and put them through to Veda." The supercomputer processed the information for several tense moments and returned Anew's data with a scan of its own. "As I thought, it's a Decepticon flagship. Its name is _Nemesis_!" she finished shrilly.

A loud _boom_ rocked the spaceship. "Persephone's starboard is under bombardment," warned Feldt, turning to look at Sumeragi. "Permission to activate defences?"

"Set emergency level to code red," affirmed the tactical forecaster. "Activate the GN Field and prepare all cannons!"

Suddenly, the doors to the tactical room hissed and slid open. Mileina and Feldt turned in surprise as a voice rang out from the far end of the chamber. "I can help," groaned a purple-haired, ageless young man, clutching at the side of the metal with a shaking hand. He was still dressed in the white shirt and trousers the infirmary had provided him, but aside from looking even paler than usual, there did not seem to be anything wrong with him. "Release me at once so I can join the battle," he demanded.

"Revive Revival," said Sumeragi in surprise. She pressed a button, and her all-purpose black chair swivelled around to face him. "You've recovered."

"Revive?!" cried Anew, whipping her head around. Noticing her astonished and concerned voice, Revive glanced at her, narrowing his eyes. The moment he saw her face, it was clear that she harboured no loyalty for the Innovators. Her calling was truly inseparable from Celestial Being, from the Gundam Meisters… from Lockon Stratos. "Are you alright?" she whispered nonetheless. Her love for a human did not mean that she had forgotten or scorned her heritage. Nor had she forgotten the integral bond between herself and her fellow Innovator.

He would scold her later. For now, there was fighting to be done. "Give me an escape pod, and I will retreat to CBS Celestial Being," said Revive, looking Sumeragi in the eye defiantly. "There are several Mobile Suits docked there in the event that Ribbons Almark requires reinforcements. I can join the fight against those robotic monsters."

"In your condition – " protested Anew reflexively.

"You're not a guest, bub," snapped Lasse. "You're a prisoner. There's no way we're trusting you with an escape pod."

"Even if you keep me here, I wouldn't be of value. I'm of no use anymore. You know everything. We all know what has come to pass as the climax of Celestial Being and the Innovators' purpose." Revive grimaced. "Come to your senses. I didn't ask you to love me. I am, however, asking you to respect my duty to help Ribbons Almark take down the Decepticons that attacked us."

Mileina and Feldt looked at Sumeragi in confusion, waiting for instructions. The commander closed her eyes, nodding slowly. "Very well. You do speak sense. I trust that you'll know what's best for your own chances of survival. Mileina, please prepare a emergency exit hatch for him."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Revive turned to depart, but not without shooting a disapproving glance at Anew. "He'd better not be lying," growled Lasse, as the doors hissed back together. "I'm sick of being betrayed and lied to by friend and foe alike." Blinking in realization, he fell into silent regret as his co-pilot looked down at her controls shamefully, holding back a sniffle. Feldt and Mileina shifted uncomfortably, and only Sumeragi remained composed. She smiled at Anew and Lasse sympathetically.

"With the chaos that's ensuing, I doubt Revive Revival can do much to help," she admitted. "But in the face of such numbers from the enemy, it would be foolish to deny an offer of assistance." She turned back to the main display. "Why hasn't the Decepticon fleet come upon us yet?"

"It's not the fleet that wants to destroy us!" cried Mileina. "It's Behemoth Gundam – it's bearing straight for us from Nemesis's coordinates!"

"Blackout?!" cried Sumeragi. She looked to her right. "Anew! How did he manage to break past our Gundams?"

Anew's eyes widened. "He… he used the bodies of his own followers to smash away our defences!" And she was right. Blackout had moved beyond the smaller, clashing Gundams and hovered towards Persephone, his massive body shifting as he swatted away chunks of rock and debris to clear a path for a horde of space fighters that surrounded the space cruiser. They paved the way for their general, the bodyguard and most loyal devotee of Lord Megatron. Looking up, a fearful Anew stared into red, vile optical sensors on her monitor. "He… he's blocking our way! We're cut off from Lockon and the others!"

Still unable to break past the Decepticon fleet, Setsuna turned his head in alarm as Behemoth loomed over Celestial Being's flagship. "No!" he roared. "The Persephone – "

"It's too late," laughed Starscream, seizing the moment and kicking 00 Raiser away. "You were played for fools. Now, you will pay for your idiocy with your beloved comrades' lives."

He was dreadfully close. The bomber-esque cruiser lay before Blackout in its entirety. Sumeragi gave the order to fire all weapons, but even as the improved missiles and lasers destroyed the throng of drones and fighter jets around the spaceship, they did little to Behemoth. Tickled and aggravated, the unusually large Mobile Suit ignored the explosions around it and raised a hand, preparing to crash it into Persephone's upper wing. Lasse swore rudely, and Mileina screamed a warning. Their missiles were too little, too late.

"Brace for impact, everyone!" screamed Sumeragi.

Blackout's three milky claws descended to bring death, but instead, they met the GN Battleaxe of Prime. The Autobot leader had hurled himself before Persephone, struggling to block Blackout's hand from the black armour of Celestial Being's starship. A loud cacophony of scraping filled the frequencies. Setsuna gasped, and Feldt could not help crying out too. "Optimus!"

Sparks flew from Bhagavan's double-sided axe and Blackout's huge appendages. Prime tensed and grunted in exertion, pushing upwards as the latter roared in rage. "Not this time, Autobot," roared the Decepticon hound. He pressed down harder, but the crested Bhagavan met his challenge with equal force. The deadlock remained. Blackout blanched, and his already angry sensors narrowed further in frustration and rage.

_A Gundam of considerably smaller size… yet its six arms and weapons can outperform mine? Is this the fabled strength of the legendary Prime_?!

As the hail of missiles and proton beams continued to pound against Behemoth, the crew finally allowed themselves to breathe. Sumeragi gave a small smile. "You really are our guardian angel, Optimus," she declared calmly. She leaned back against her ebony backrest, feeling rather pleased with the synergy between herself and the Autobot-Gundam. "We will continue the bombardment from here and destroy Nemesis's Alpha fleets. In the meantime, you'll be our frontline vanguard. By your very presence, our Meisters will recover, rally, and prevail."

Prime nodded obediently as he received her transmission. "You're not touching this ship, nor are you touching anyone inside," he growled, his words stern and severe as he addressed Blackout. They exchanged keen glares, demonic red meeting orange and blue. "You can deal with me, instead. You and I will finish our struggle here, and know that what we do from now is for real and forever."

*

*

*

A/N: I hope you enjoyed another chapter of TF 00. With another Decepticon Gundam revealed, it's time for new tech specs again.

**Soundwave: DECP-03 Israfel Gundam**

Model Number: DECP-03

Unit Type: Veda-Cybertronian MS

Launched: Anno Domini 2312

Manufacturer: None

Operator: Veda/Soundwave

Known Pilot: Soundwave

Overall Height: 19.8 metres

Weight: Unknown

Power Plant: GN Drive

Accommodation: Spark located in Gundam torso

Armour material: Cybertronian e-carbo

Armaments: GN Fin Fangs x4, GN Beam Sabre, GN Beam Rifle

Special Equipments and Features: GN Field, Trans-Am System, Triple Changer

Alternate mode: Interstellar cruiser, orbital satellite

Name: Derived from the Muslim angel of music.

Overview: Israfel is the most diverse Gundam amongst the Cybertronian Mobile Suits. A powerful fighter in his own right, Soundwave has transferred his infiltration properties into Israfel's operating system. He is able to observe everything happening on the planet in his alternate mode of an orbital satellite. If engagement is necessary, Israfel's GN Fin Fangs wear away at the opponent whilst Soundwave finishes them with his beam sabre and GN Rifle.


	26. Chapter 25: Liberation

"You have set out for supreme enlightenment, / With infinite compassion for beings; / Having taken all beings into your care, / Take me in too with compassion."

Maiden Splendour of Delight, to Prince Lord of Glory, Avatamsaka Sutra, Book 31

*

**Chapter 25: Liberation**

_Lisbon_

The weeping firmament seemed wobbly. It was rather perplexing. Surely it was the ground that was shuddering – after all, it was the levellers and fiendish Decepticons that were causing the earthquakes. The capital of former Portugal was finally lost after a week of intense street fighting. The Prime Coalition's human armies had thrown everything they could offer at Megatron's beasts. But the appearance of flagship Nemesis itself, hovering above the atmosphere of Mars and protected by thousands of space fighters, gave a morale boost even to mindless drone proxies. The war had razed Lisbon to the point that even victory wouldn't have held much meaning. Only the destruction of Megatron himself could break the Decepticon armies.

But as far as Flora was concerned, she would not be able to contribute to that wonderful prospect. Their troops had abandoned them, and she couldn't blame them. Death had a funny way of stealing lives away and not returning them. She looked almost ridiculous in her office attire, but she and Vincent had joined in the final struggle towards the last few days when the Federation troops requested reinforcements. They had hoped to at least retain the final bastion of Lisbon, so that Pang Hercules's decimated fleet could arrive to provide a last-ditch artillery attack on the western coast of the Continent. Tragically, the support from that last round of shelling came too late. It was as if resisting the Decepticons' offensive had been futile from the very beginning.

But strangely enough, she regretted nothing.

"I am sorry, my beloved," mumbled Flora one last time, kissing her husband's bloody forehead as it rested on her bleeding lap. "I never had the chance to tell you that I am pregnant with your second child." She slowly took the legendary Cerberus handgun from his limp, broken fingers. She raised the sleek, powerful pistol and aimed it upwards at the five Payload drones that surrounded them, towering over the couple and blotting out the sky.

Her silver eyes shone with tears. "For Vincent," she whispered.

The soles of metal feet swiftly and mercilessly muffled her desperate shots.

*

_Outer space_

"This… is my final message to anyone that can detect this on their frequency. I have a request for you. Please find my daughter when this… foolishness… is over. Tell her we – "

The broken transmission cut off abruptly, silenced by forces unknown. Garbled crackling remained as the only testament to Flora's life on Earth. Recognizing the beautiful voice of the kind woman that she encountered in Tokyo, Feldt closed her eyes, shaking uncontrollably as she lifted her fingers from her keyboard. "We were too late," she mumbled. She opened up a communication window with Setsuna in 00 Raiser. "Mrs. Valentine and her husband… they're…"

"Enough," said Setsuna. "I know." He gritted his teeth. _Lives are fading away with every passing moment_. But he couldn't even bow his head in respect for the couple that had given their lives in the name of truth and integrity. The battle beyond the moon was still raging. In a desperate attempt to hold back the Decepticon advance towards the already beleaguered planet, CBS-80 Mobile Fortress Persephone had engaged Nemesis in a do-or-die struggle. The Prime Coalition's first objective had been to secure the atmosphere of Mars, but the complication of Reborns Gundam's presence and the sudden appearance of Soundwave had turned the situation around on its head. Now, the plan had been reduced to a free-for-all. There remained only one overriding objective.

Kill Decepticons.

"The Persephone's under heavy attack!" cried Allelujah. He glanced at his radar and hastily avoided a grappling claw that shot out from Blackout's hand. But it was all Behemoth could give, for the greater attention of the titan was actually occupied by Prime, who smashed his warhammer against Behemoth's arm repeatedly and raised his three swords to cut into its torso. A large GN Field activated around its immediate region, delaying Prime's attack slightly. But eventually, the Autobot-Gundam's melee assault broke through, and Blackout was forced on the defensive despite the twelve Alpha drones that swarmed around Prime. The commander of the coalition quickly slashed a unit's body in two, riposting and cleaving apart another with his battleaxe. He parried an attacker's swipe with ease, spinning his GN Polesword and carving a diagonal slash across its torso. Three more drones fired their plasma cannons, but his GN Field countered their barrage and he quickly disposed of them with a coordinated retaliation with his longsword and beam sabre. Smashing another Alpha away, he continued his assault on Blackout, who unleashed another round of EMP Pulses. They spread across the battlefield, hunting for multiple targets.

"Look out!" roared Lockon.

Prime's GN Field was enough to neutralize the disabling burst, but the other Gundams were caught off-guard as black, blue and silver currents crackled throughout the immediate vacuum of space. "Trans-Am!" roared Setsuna, and his particle output exceeded its theoretical limits, and 00 Raiser fled upwards, followed by Cherudim and Bennu. "Damn it," swore the Kurdish Meister. Arios and Seravee had been caught in the impossibly wide radius of Blackout's attack, and their forms slumped, and Allelujah and Tieria's panicked voices were suddenly cut off as the power in their Mobile Suits died. "They're defenceless until the GN Drives recover!" whispered Setsuna in realization.

"You have some nerve, boy," growled Jetfire. He raised his open palm, and a flood of cosmic fire vomited forth, screeching towards Blackout. The fifty or so drones that shot up to block the flames were incinerated, but their sacrifice enabled Blackout to shoot forth his claw, and before Jetfire could evade, Behemoth's massive hand clamped around him roughly. Bennu's optics widened as its hands clutched at Blackout's e-carbon, searing it but failing to dislodge its grip. "Grappling claw?!"

Blackout's voice was like elemental thunder. "For the Protector!"

"No – " whispered Bennu, but it was too late. In one brutal clench, Behemoth began to apply pressure, and the comparatively lean Autobot-Gundam's joints whined, twisting and compressing slowly. Jetfire groaned, trembling as his midsection finally caved in and shattered into two pieces. Fire and purple smoke covered Blackout's hand. Jetfire let out a gargle of agony, and his split body fizzled as Bennu entered emergency mode. The remains of his Mobile Suit relayed its destroyed defences to Veda, and his torso began to shift, transforming into a cubed coffer, keeping his flickering spark encased and protected. Still, his safety was not guaranteed, especially when Bennu's offensive capabilities were destroyed.

"Jetfire!" roared Prime. He rebuked himself inwardly for allowing Blackout to punch past the alliance's defences. "I'm not going to let you die a second time. Soran! Come with me. We'll put an end to Behemoth Gundam's rampage together!"

Starscream and Soundwave flew around 00 Raiser and Cherudim, the two of which hovered back-to-back. Reborns cut short Starscream's taunts, raising its beam sabre and cutting across Nergal's leg. Soundwave's guns smashed against Cherudim, which was forced on the defensive with its Shield Bits. A rain of plasma pummelled the shaking Mobile Suit. "I'm counting on you," said Setsuna, and a wincing Lockon nodded as Reborns and Nergal turned on each other again. "Saji!"

"Let's go!" cried Saji, and Lockon's Rifle Bits surrounded the recovering Arios and Seravee, protecting them briefly from Israfel's Fin Fangs. "Bhagavan's attempting a frontal assault, Setsuna!"

"We'll flank Blackout," affirmed Setsuna, as Prime bashed his warhammer against Behemoth's hand. Behemoth attempted to swat away Bhagavan, but Prime doubled his lethal range by swinging his GN Battleaxe against Blackout's exposed torso. Blackout unleashed his missiles, but they exploded ineffectually against Prime's GN Field. 00 Raiser seized the chance to punch past three Alpha units, aiming its sword directly for Behemoth's haunch. Blackout struggled to block the attack, but Starscream and Soundwave weren't in a position to help thanks to Reborns and Cherudim's interference. He launched another EMP Pulse, but Bhagavan smashed its GN Warhammer against his chest, pushing him back and sending the electromagnetic projectile hurtling past Cherudim and Arios harmlessly. Enraged, Blackout watched 00 Raiser soaring up as Setsuna entered quantization, his irises gleaming. "I'm ending this, now!"

"This is your triumph, Soran!" roared Prime, smashing open a giant hole in Behemoth's e-carbon. In one decisive move, Bhagavan plunged its beam sabre, longsword, and broadsword into the Decepticon's torso. Blackout's furious optical sensors widened, and he began to convulse uncontrollably. The latter's upper body began to short-circuit dangerously as Prime gutted it with his GN Polesword and GN Battleaxe simultaneously. "Topple him!"

"It's over!" roared Setsuna, and 00 Raiser itself quantized, vanishing from Blackout's flank even as Behemoth attempted to snatch him in mid-flight: a desperate and impossible feat for such a slow giant. 00 Raiser reappeared behind the Decepticon and slashed down, cleaving from Blackout's massive head to his black spine, all the way until he reached Behemoth's enormous pelvis. Blackout let out a deathly shriek as Setsuna's hands tightened on his controls to ensure that his killing blow did not lose its power or direction. He clenched his teeth in dogged determination as his swords carved through the humming GN Drives across Behemoth's back. Loud screeching and brilliant sparks filled the gulf between the blue-white Gundam and its oversize black enemy. Even though Setsuna was destroying authentic solar furnaces, they still belonged to a Decepticon, and as such, they had been rendered as illegitimate instruments of terror. _I won't let Megatron get away with stealing Celestial Being's technology_!

Blackout could only slump in disbelief, his body gradually slowing and shutting down as 00 Raiser, faster and out of reach, proceeded to destroy the eight GN Drives across his immense back. He recoiled in agony, the implosion of each solar furnace even more painful and vivid than Prime's GN weapons. His spark grew weaker and weaker as Behemoth was completely deprived of its energy harvesters. _This fleshling… can defeat even the powers of my Octo-Drive System_…?! he thought incredulously, raising his three-fingered hands and staring at them. Massive, blinding explosions of light purple rocked Behemoth's upper body as the drones around it exploded, disposed of by 00 Raiser's Rifle Mode. And that wasn't all. Hungry for revenge, Tieria activated Seravee's Trans-Am, and as a recovered Arios continued to shoot down the scattering Alphas, Seravee's Hyper Burst Mode consumed what was left of the dying Blackout, enveloping his exposed spark in an inferno of fatal plasma fire.

"Your resistance will come to naught… We are all mere instruments… in Lord Megatron's grand design…" whispered the dying colossus, before his spark disappeared into the blind eternities of the solar system, along with much of the assault fleet that had accompanied him beyond Mars.

Having entered Trans-Am, Starscream kicked Reborns away, but his advantage was short-lived. Blackout was dead. He raised his head and stared at Prime, bewildered and somewhat fearful that the allies managed such an unlikely feat. His avian face betrayed his fear. "Impossible," he whispered. "This will not go unpunished. Soundwave! Have Nemesis cover us!" He fired his Null Rays at Reborns and Cherudim one last time, forcing Almark and Lockon back. "Thanks to that meddling Setsuna and Prime, you'll have a fortunate breather this time round," he declared. "But you will pay a billionfold for this – I swear it."

He turned to flee, transforming into an interstellar jet. "All forces, to me!"

Soundwave's demonic expression was emotionless as he called forth a retreat. Transforming into his space cruiser mode, he shot away with Starscream towards the atmosphere of the red planet. Its ports quaking, Nemesis unleashed a new barrage of missiles, and Persephone quickly countered with a cannonade of upgraded armaments. But by the time the smoke cleared, Starscream and Soundwave were too far away for earnest pursuit, along with the remnants of the Alpha drones. Nemesis itself was descending towards Mars, cocooned by flying Decepticon protoforms. The Decepticons planned to regroup and recover on the red planet, but since the allies were so beleaguered, they would not last if they launched an invasion against Mars – especially in the face of the Decepticons' Orbital Particle Cannon.

"Damn it," cursed Ribbons Almark, safe in his cockpit. The assault could not be continued.

Still, this was a major victory for Celestial Being. "Flee, Starscream," nodded Prime in approval. "But I won't give you a third chance." He looked to his sides. All the Mobile Suits had recovered from Blackout's EMP attack, although he could hear the Meisters panting loudly across his frequency. The battle had been a taxing one, and once again, priority had to be placed on ensuring the Meisters and Jetfire were safe. "Bennu," whispered Prime, hovering towards the remains of the jet-black Mobile Suit. "Jetfire. How are you feeling?"

"I feel old again," came the tired, geriatric voice of the Autobot's spark. "It… hurts, badly. I suppose this is the drawback of our Gundams, eh? We feel their damage."

"Don't worry, Optimus," came Feldt's voice. "I'm sending out a rescue ship to retrieve Jetfire and his armour now."

"Thank you, Feldt," nodded Prime. While the situation on Earth had reached a stalemate thus far, he suspected that the conflict in space was reaching its final stages. Celestial Being was gathering momentum, and its progress so far was very encouraging. But until Megatron showed himself in the metal, there would be no conclusion to this planetary war.

Metal debris and shattered asteroids littered the immediate battlefield. Setsuna and Saji breathed heavily, lowering their weapons briefly. "It's done," whispered Saji, slumping in relief. "We actually defeated that monster."

"We are victorious. Now return to your mothership, Innovator," urged Bhagavan, its back facing Reborns. Prime deactivated his Trans-Am, his body drained and his energy depleted from fighting Blackout. "There's no point in fighting against us here. Next time we meet, I may not be permitted to treat you like a neutral, let alone an ally."

"I have no intention of returning to CBS Celestial Being just yet," smiled Almark.

Prime turned his head. "What are you talking about?"

A new GN Field activated around Bhagavan as Reborns's beam sabre suddenly thrust against Prime's torso. The red-white Gundam had hurled itself at Prime, attempting to run him through against its orange blade of light. Prime snarled in surprise and blanched at Almark's shameless treachery. "Why?!"

"You worthless, disgusting pile of landfill junk," hissed Almark viciously, digging deeper against Prime's forcefield. "I am only claiming what I deserve, you see. Even if it is true that Aeolia gave you access to his authentic solar furnaces and the Twin Drive System… I refuse to acknowledge you as the heir to his dialogues. I'll overcome you and realize my own potential as a true Innovator!"

An outraged Prime prepared to counterattack, but was thrown off-guard as a sudden beam of energy blasted against him, pushing him back. His shining optics widened. A new Gadessa had risen from the final hangar of CBS Celestial Being and was aiming its GN Mega Launcher directly at his head. Almark smiled as Gadessa fired again, pinning Bhagavan down against two Innovators. "Well, well. How nice of you to rejoin me, Revive."

Inside Persephone, Lasse's eyes narrowed. "I knew it," he growled, fuming. "I knew it would come down to this."

Anew shook her head in despair. She could no longer defend her brother. Despite her best hopes, he had thrown his lot in with Almark, and there was no turning back for either of them. "Revive… even now, you…"

"All cannons, focus fire on the Gadessa. I'm not letting him betray Optimus and get away with it," cried Sumeragi in ire. Her eyes narrowed. "Optimus. Hang in there," she said urgently, as Reborns and Gadessa launched a renewed and forceful attack on Bhagavan. A fiery bombardment from Persephone rained down on Reborns, but Gadessa's far-reaching plasma beam easily neutralized its destructive power. A stream of explosions rattled the chasm of space as Reborns continued to pursue Bhagavan relentlessly. A weakened Prime raised his beam sabre and polesword, but was forced to defend against Reborns's Buster Launcher. He crossed his arms, grunting angrily.

"Tieria Erde. Disposing of these two-faced scoundrels," declared the pilot of Seravee coldly.

"Arios, commencing counterattack," said Allelujah furiously. Arios transformed into jet mode, and Seravee began to recharge its Hyper Burst Mode. "They still bear a grudge against us after we fought together against Starscream?"

"These bastards really don't play fair," sighed Lockon, redeploying his GN Bits. "But at least I don't need to hold back anymore."

Setsuna gritted his teeth at Almark's ungrateful deceit. 00 Raiser hurtled towards Reborns Gundam and aimed its Sword Mode at Reborns's torso. "Don't interfere," snarled Almark, and the red-white Mobile Suit met 00 Raiser's attack with its Fin Fangs. As 00 Raiser proceeded to engage the detachable weapons, Gadessa and Reborns continued their assault on the defending Bhagavan, interrupted only when Persephone unleashed another hail of firepower from its Earthen-Cybertronian weapons system. "Separate and initiate Trans-Am!" roared Almark, and the two Innovators quickly flew away, dodging the hundreds of missiles and lasers from the upgraded, hybrid armaments. As a fourth-generation Gundam, Reborns was much more equipped to counter the offensive volley. Its nimble Fin Fangs quickly disposed of the missiles, and the power of Almark's Buster Launcher was more than enough to meet the strength of Persephone's laser beams. Dazzling explosions rocked the yawning gulf between them.

"Don't let up the assault," commanded Sumeragi. "Overwhelm them with our upgraded firepower!"

Even with pseudo-Trans-Am activated, Gadessa struggled to disperse the plasma that surrounded it. It fired its GN Mega Launcher repeatedly and recklessly before a laser ray broke through its defences and melted the cannon. All that remained were its GN Vulcans, which were useless against Persephone's vengeful cannonade. Sumeragi's wrath proved too much for the outdated Mobile Suit, which was caught in an unexpected crosshairs and taken apart by an upward barrage of crimson laser beams. His eyes wide in fear, Revive Revival paid the ultimate price for his betrayal of Sumeragi's trust, and Gadessa imploded brilliantly, pale purple smoke covering its remains as Reborns shot past to counter Persephone's broadside. Almark smirked. "I thought I told you not to interrupt while I punish Optimus Prime for stealing my possessions. Your firepower might be effective against useless imbeciles. But against me – !"

His Gundam suddenly converted into Cannon Mode and fired all four of its field guns. The hungry plasma beams shot directly for the bottom hull of Persephone, and Feldt's eyes were wide as she reported the sudden attack to Sumeragi. "Ma'am, evasion is impossible! Impact is imminent!"

Prime observed Almark's cheap ploy with outrage. "How dare you!" he roared. "You've gone too far!" In a sudden burst of strength, the injured Bhagavan shot towards Persephone, enveloping itself in a slightly weakened GN Field. Almark's four cannon beams rebounded away, but Prime still felt the impact jarring his body. His transmitter detected Sumeragi's cry of concern, but he ignored her. He raised his six melee weapons as 00 Raiser and the other Gundams surrounded Almark. Reborns turned to parry Prime's longsword with its beam sabre, but the attack was actually a feint. Instead of pushing against a longsword, Almark felt the much greater force of Bhagavan's GN Warhammer smashing into its hip. "You have tested my patience to the point of mockery," snarled Prime, cleaving off Reborns's right arm from its shoulder with a slash from his broadsword. "I'm not a saint – my goodwill towards war criminals only goes so far!"

"Damn it," gritted an unrepentant Almark. He directed his Mobile Suit to retreat as he weaved away from the lasers of Arios's Twin Beam Rifles. He felt Reborns's left leg blown into nonexistence as Seravee's Bazooka partially consumed its lower body. And finally, a careful, flawlessly timed shot from Cherudim's sniper rifle blew away the Innovator Gundam's head. It might have been a pathetic sight, but it was a satisfying one. After such ingratitude on part of Ribbons and Revive, the Meisters weren't in a forgiving mood, and neither was Prime.

"I ask you again, Ribbons – why?" barked Bhagavan, as it pressed its GN Beam Sabre and GN Broadsword against its red and white adversary. The remaining Fangs and Fin Fangs that fired at the Autobot-Gundam were quickly sniped and destroyed by Cherudim. "Why do you continue to look down on humans? Your journey is intertwined with them, whether you like it or not. This is the destiny of the Innovades!"

"To walk with inferior _homo sapiens_?" snarled Almark, left with nothing more than his beam sabre and Buster Launcher as his remaining weapons. Reborns shuddered as Arios fired from behind, blowing off its left arm. The headless Mobile Suit's right leg was dispatched by a second discharge from Seravee's Bazooka. "I think not. I am a true Innovator. One that has transcended Innovades and humanity alike!"

"You still wallow in this delusion? If you insist on underestimating human beings, you'll always hate them. You'll never understand them!" cried Prime.

_The destiny of the Innovators… my destiny_… Almark's smile grew broader inside his helmet as the remains of his Mobile Suit collapsed around him. He sneered derisively. "I have no intention of understanding them _or_ you!" he declared. "Disappear, you filthy, damned Autobot! Out of my sight, and out of – "

00 Raiser suddenly appeared behind the limbless, headless Gundam. Roaring, Setsuna brought down his GN Sword II in a final attack. It connected with the red-white Mobile Suit's left shoulder, cleaving down and digging a deep, jagged slash across the its torso. It was over quite suddenly. The dismantled Reborns was no more as it exploded and vanished within dissipating clouds of purple mist, leaving an exhausted Bhagavan to lower its six arms. The pieces of the wrecked Gundam floated away, a pathetic sight compared to its glorious entrance only a short while earlier.

They had thought themselves the heirs to Schenberg's plan, as the shepherds of humanity. They had been denied of their desire. Nothing was left of the once-daunting Innovator force. Only its heavily damaged mothership remained, silently bearing witness to her masters' defeat. With the destruction of the A-Laws, it had been overtaken by the Decepticons and matched by the Prime Coalition. Arrogant and hateful to the last, Ribbons Almark had ironically surrendered his greatest prize – CBS Celestial Being – to the organization of the same name. With the Innovator faction defeated, Aeolia Schenberg's colony class cruiser now belonged to the victorious Prime Coalition.

Nevertheless, Almark's treachery had taken its toll. Prime floated weakly in the vacuum of dark space, breathing heavily. His GN Field was flickering in and out, and the lesions and burns across his silver, hieroglyphical body were very real. "Optimus is hurt!" cried Sumeragi, sitting tensely in her chair. "Persephone and all Gundams are retreating, now! We'll deal with the Innovators' mothership later. Another attack from Mars might come at any hour."

"I'm fine," said Prime. "Just make sure Jetfire's okay." He smiled into the display screens of Persephone, allaying his allies' fears somewhat. "Despite everything that's happened, this battle… is ours."

*

_Greater Istanbul. Fatih_

This was an unfamiliar city, but mainly because of the Federation-Decepticon battles that raged across the urban suburbs and districts. There was no escaping the warring factions; time was short.

After Breakaway had touched down, Arcee had confirmed the Autobot-Gundams to be meeting her here, but she couldn't be entirely sure until she looked up into the sky. As she and her two comrades retreated from the flood of tentacled thaumaturge engines, she processed Ironhide's voice in her frequency. "Arcee. Do you see us?"

"Depends on where you're hiding." She fired a missile from her converting crossbow, blowing off an attacking engine's head, and glanced up at the heavens. Her light blue sensors widened in awe. Her three seniors were descending from a peal of white clouds, and their bodies did not resemble how she remembered them. Only Bumblebee looked closely familiar to his old form – but even then, his battlemask was adorned with a completely unfamiliar yellow crest. Ratchet was positively splendid, and Ironhide looked even darker, with cannons larger than her body. As an air fighter, Breakaway was considered to be large, but even he was shorter than Mahisha Gundam as it slammed its two feet into the sundered concrete.

"You guys weren't hiding, were you?" she corrected herself.

"It's good to see you again," smiled Ratchet. He raised his hand, and GN Particles spilled from his fingers. They enveloped an astonished Arcee, Rollbar and Breakaway, mending the wear and damage they had suffered in their journey across Asia.

"Thanks, Ratchet. All of you… Ironhide too… you're massive," she blurted, looking up at the severe face of her military trainer. He was colossal, larger than many of the Decepticons she fought. His cannons were larger than her very body, and his bull's head was several times larger than her hand.

She smiled. "You've changed, coach."

"Arcee," grunted Mahisha in acknowledgement. "Who are these two clowns?"

"Hey!" cried the square-headed Rollbar, whose alternate mode was but a humble pickup van. As such, he wasn't particularly intimidating as robot or as a fighter. His much larger comrade, Breakaway, sighed.

Arcee couldn't stop beaming. "These are the guys I picked up while I was hiding from the so-called A-Laws. Turns out that Optimus did place some sleeper agents that even we don't know about on Earth." She looked to her left and right. Breakaway's the large, handsome one. And this is Rollbar. Consider us the permanent, undercover residents of planet Earth."

"Optimus may have a soft spark, but he is admittedly a formidable military commander," said Ironhide. "Sometimes, even I underestimate him." He did not lift his eyes away from Arcee's petite form. "It seems that I still underestimate even you, too."

"That's putting it lightly. You've always had a hard time letting me go," laughed the other. "I bet you still miss the days we spent tagging and sniping Decepticons in the Charii star system?"

"Kind of," grumbled the senior weapons specialist.

"I hate to be a killjoy, but save the reunion for later," called a human voice. Arcee glanced at Bumblebee in surprise, whose torso hatch slowly opened, revealing the Autobot's dancing spark – his essential, fundamental life force. A uniformed human man had emerged, and he jumped onto Surya Gundam's hand. Bumblebee lowered his body to meet Arcee's comparatively tiny, ten-foot body. Lennox hopped off Bumblebee's palm and stepped forward. "Hey there, beautiful. You and the others have obviously been fighting off Decepticons across the northern hemisphere. That's going to end now. My commanders got in contact with me and say we can put a stop to all this with one thing, and one thing only." His American eyes were eager. "We're planning to implement the Trial System."

"Trial System?" blinked Arcee, and the other Autobots looked equally puzzled. "I barely know how Bumblebee, Ratchet and Ironhide managed to grow so huge, let alone the meaning of Trial System."

"Pang Hercules and Sergei Smirnov told me that it's a unique power that can disable all secondary Decepticon life forms on this planet. Megatron and his direct underlings will be unaffected thanks to their independent operating systems, but the Decepticons reliant on Veda constitute a large majority of the invasion force."

"To use the Trial System and disable all secondary machines that Megatron activated… This might be a long stretch, but could it be that my GN Healing System is what's needed to break down those Decepticon controlled machines?" wondered Ratchet.

"Not quite," said Ironhide. "The Trial System has been installed on only two Mobile Suits. The first is Seraphim, the second body of Tieria's Seravee. The second Gundam…" He raised a thick, metal finger and pointed it directly at a blinking Bumblebee. "…is you, kid."

The smallest of the Autobot Mobile Suits shrugged in bafflement. It cocked its round face.

"Uh… Me?"

Bumblebee looked at Breakaway, and then at Rollbar, before meeting a puzzled Arcee's optics. "Hey, hey, I haven't been keeping secrets from anyone. I don't even know why Ironhide knows, because _I_ never knew about a Trial System inside me."

"Don't you see? Surya Gundam's unusual colloid abilities are the Autobot equivalent of Seraphim's Trial System. Veda intended it to be so – your powers are built for this purpose," urged Ironhide slowly. "Surya's machine-disabling abilities are capable of much greater strength at full power. If you can initiate your Colloid Immobilization System with Trans-Am, the radius would spread across the entire – "

Ratchet grunted as a missile suddenly slammed into his back. He riposted instinctively and shot at a hail of secondary projectiles that showered upon the reunited allies. Lennox covered his face as Bumblebee and Breakaway quickly lent their support. "We forgot the Decepticons aren't exactly beaten here yet," gritted Lennox. "And they know we're in the city… they're definitely coming for us."

"Breakway, Rollbar, give us some support," said Arcee calmly, reloading her large, deep-pink crossbow. She looked up at Ironhide. "Want to see how far I've come since our fight against The Fallen?"

Mahisha Gundam smirked. "You were heavily injured back then. But it looks like you've overcome your weaknesses since that disaster. Fair enough. Show me what you can do, little girl." Arcee transformed, racing ahead towards the Decepticons and propelling herself up into the air. By the time she landed, four sizzling drones had collapsed onto the concrete ground, their heads neatly punctured.

Ratchet's hands revealed the mighty GN Chainsaw that had been attached to his back. It began to whir loudly as the Decepticon bombardment around them intensified. "I'll punch into the enemy artillery and scatter them," said Anointed. "I'll count on you to implement the Trial System."

Bumblebee blanched, not even bothering to draw his Solar Blaster. "But I've never tried – "

"Well, now's your chance," snapped Ironhide, as he rose into the air. His fission launchers deployed, sliding into position beside his forearms. "I'd prefer to pulverize this entire city, but Optimus would want you go the easier way… the boring way."

"You haven't changed at all," sighed Breakaway, as he transformed into a fighter jet and soared into the sky, hurtling directly towards the levellers in the immediate distance. Ironhide was one of the only Autobots who would call peaceful means "boring."

"Alright, then! Let's set up our defences!" barked Lennox, ducking as a piece of concrete brushed by the crown of his head, shattering across Ratchet's leg. He steadied his machine gun and returned fire, if only to delay the enemy. "We're going to hold this position until Bumblebee's Trial System is deployed!"

The thaumaturge engines, ragers and Swindle drones were approaching from the rubble. Their coordinated response to the Autobots' arrival in Turkey was impressive to say the least. But if fate smiled on the forces of good this fateful day, then final victory would not be impossible. Ironhide and Ratchet roared their trump cards, deploying Veda's greatest gift to protect Bumblebee. "_Trans-Am_!" At its spark's command, Mahisha's nuclear shells engulfed the outer suburbs of Istanbul, swallowing dead human and living Decepticon alike in vengeful, indiscriminate retribution.

"_Trans-Am_!" Ratchet's chainsaw spun faster and faster, and Anointed Gundam tore through three Decepticon engines, cleaving off the torso of a lunging Payload drone before forcing back a division of Dropkicks that attempted to break past Arcee and Rollbar's defensive perimeter.

Surya Gundam tentatively closed its optics and rose into the air, spreading its lean arms. The yellow-silver Gundam began to triple its particle output and was bathed in a pale red. "_Trans-Am_!" cried Bumblebee. Humming quietly, Surya's colloid waves began to radiate from its chest, and as the allied forces continued to tussle with the converging Decepticons, the latter suddenly paused, as if they heard a gentle, pacifying melody. And from that melody, a gentle voice spoke.

_Return to Veda. Return to your source, your mother_.

The hateful glimmer in the optics and lenses of the ragers, Swindles, and Payloads faded away, and their raised claws and weapons slumped. Colloid specks dashed across the burnt landscape as waves of green-blue light enveloped the immediate area, before radiating outwards without any visible limit. And as the quiet waves of green light continued to spread across the Decepticons in the city, the gentle humming began to branch out beyond the ruined buildings, towards the open sky and the silent harbours.

Bumblebee had come a long way as a fun-loving, espionage agent.

_Return. Return, and rest_.

"So this is Surya's potential – to trigger a mass deactivation of Megatron's legions?" asked Anointed Gundam as it lowered its GN Chainsaw momentarily. Ratchet's optical sensors were glued to the brilliant, shimmering horizon of Istanbul. He sighed in fascination. "This… this is the limitless power of Veda…"

The green light… it was reaching outwards to all the ten directions.

"I've just received a message from Pang! The Decepticons are shutting down in western Europe!" roared Lennox in astonishment. "This means only one thing, guys: it's working! Victory is finally ours!" he laughed, glancing jubilantly at the levitating Surya, which remained high in the sky, delivering its judgement upon the illegitimate creatures that Megatron had forced Veda to create. "I bet the boys at Moscow have them pinned down, too. This green light's shooting all across the globe!"

Ironhide raised his rough, horned head, sniffing cautiously. "Already? The smell of that human's triumph… is it for real this time?" he murmured, hesitantly stopping his nuclear bombardment. "This Trial System is formidable."

"What? That was much quicker than I thought," quipped Arcee, her heel pressing against the head of a disabled Swindle. She smiled. "Well, I'm not complaining, but I was expecting more of a fight. I've been missing out, coach. This must be the true power of a so-called Gundam."

Across the world, moving, sentient drones and robots suddenly groaned and fell quiet, much to the astonishment of their struggling foes. Having thrown away their lives for Megatron, they were silenced by the almighty voice of the sun god's pronouncement.

The verdict: _guilty_.

But there was no time to cheer, or even to laugh in disbelief. There was no time to celebrate in the ruined streets, or to mourn amongst the rivers of bodies. The Trial System would not last forever. And so, humanity acted according to its instinct; its instinct for justice. Military personnel and civilians alike acted to destroy the monsters that were slowly surrendering before their very eyes. The weary remnants of the Prime Coalition worked feverishly to tear down the limp, malfunctioning legions whose soldiers had ceased to shoot and burn and slaughter. No questions were asked. No answers were given.

Everywhere on this planet of green and blue, even boys with slings and girls with stones clamoured to dismantle the horrors of the Decepticons.

*

_Persephone hangar_

Celestial Being had earned a crucial victory, but it was almost too close. The dogmatic self-obsession of Ribbons Almark had nearly cost Prime his life. While the Innovator faction was toppled once and for all with the destruction of Reborns and the disappearance of its pilot, it brought little comfort to Sumeragi, who knew that the death of Blackout would only prompt the Decepticons to spare no reserves in their next assault.

"Optimus, you're hurt," she said anxiously. For now, she, the Meisters, and the ship's crew had surrounded the injured Bhagavan. Like the other Cybertronians that had assimilated Veda, Prime was a living Gundam, different from normal Mobile Suits. If given time, Veda would slowly repair his wounds, and technicians like Ian or Ratchet could actually accelerate his healing through manual means. On the other hand, unlike the Meisters, he would not survive if his Mobile Suit became damaged to breaking point. The nature of his spark was the reason why. Whereas human beings could freely leave and change their Gundams with ease, Cybertronians could not, for their Gundams were their very bodies. And that was what worried the Meisters and crew – should Reborns have defeated Prime, the fiasco could have developed into a tragedy. As if to illustrate this worrying point, Jetfire was incapacitated, and his spark was now being housed in Persephone's hangar bay, kept away safely from combat. It was a relief that he hadn't been slain, but their tactical advantage was weakened again, and it was a terrible thing to imprison an Autobot's spark in what was really a big box. Repairs on Bennu Gundam had to be conducted as soon as possible.

Feldt stepped forward. "Jetfire will be just fine, Optimus," she offered. "But he probably won't be able to fight beside you for quite some time. His wounds are much too serious. It almost reminds me…" She turned away, falling silent._ Jetfire's damage is almost reminiscent of what happened to Dynames four years ago_.

"Arios and Seravee can be repaired relatively quickly," said Ian, putting a hand on Mileina's shoulder. "And we can send GN Archer out if necessary. Setsuna, Lockon, Allelujah, Tieria – go and get some rest. Those Decepticon bastards won't forgive us for this. Of course, that's just the way I like it, but discretion is the better part of valour. So patch yourselves up – Megatron's not going to hold back this time."

Setsuna glanced at Optimus in concern, but he followed Ian's instructions along with the other Meisters. Feldt and the rest of the crew also departed, leaving Sumeragi behind. The pace of the last battles had picked up considerably, and there was little time to congratulate each other. "Veda will heal me," smiled Prime, failing to allay the worry on the forecaster's face. "Don't worry, Leesa. I know I may not be at full strength, but Ian's right. The Decepticons could attack again at any time. I've no reasn to feel sorry for myself. And Megatron…" Bhagavan's shimmering optics narrowed. "He will make his move soon. Very soon."

"At any time?" whispered Sumeragi. "They don't quit, do they? It's almost as if…" She pressed a hand against her chest and turned away. "I'm reminded of Operation Fallen Angels. Four years ago… when the then-United Nations defeated Celestial Being in a decisive battle. We lost four of our friends, and the first Ptolemaios was destroyed." She trembled, even as she held onto Prime's finger. "The vigour and frequency of these Decepticon attacks… I wonder if we can weather the storm that they'll bring?"

"I accessed the memos of Operation Fallen Angels while inside Veda's database. Could it have been part of Celestial Being's inbuilt plan – to offer itself for the sake of world unity?" said Prime gently.

"Excuse me." Blinking, Sumeragi pressed a button on her pager, and a hologram of Sergei Smirnov appeared, gazing intently at her. "General!" she noted in surprise. "What news do you have from the frontlines?"

"I'll say only this, my unlikely ally," replied the Russian commander, giving a weary smile. "Your organization's Trial System has been deployed on Earth. All secondary Decepticon machines – across every continent – are being disabled."

Sumeragi's olive eyes widened._ What? Trial System? But how_? "This… this is wonderful news!" she cried, her knees weakening. She slumped to the floor, refusing to release Prime. "But how could this have been? Only Seraphim Gundam has – "

"Thank the Autobots for that," admitted Sergei. "The one they call Surya Gundam has an inbuilt colloid structure that functions as a Trial System. Pang Hercules ordered its activation. I have to say that it was an extremely timely decision."

Prime blinked in amazement. "Bumblebee…!"

"Thank you so much for telling me, commander Smirnov," cried Sumeragi, nodding eagerly at a tired Sergei and switching off her transmitter. She turned to Prime, elated. "Optimus! Our plan, somehow … it has succeeded! Thanks to you and Veda, the drone armies have been deactivated! The struggle for Earth is over."

Prime smiled as she hugged him. "See? As long as we're together, nothing can break us."

*

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*

*

A/N: Due to the awesomeness of the TF movie universe's Bumblebee, I didn't want to give Surya Gundam a mere Solar Blaster and leave it at that. There was an allusion to the Trial System's powers locked within Surya back in Chapter 22 when Bumblebee first disabled the Decepticons on the English Channel. The tech specs of Surya on the page for Chapter 22 will be updated accordingly now that this chapter has been submitted. As a fanfic writer, I'm following the Gundam 00 mould here. XD


	27. Chapter 26: Megatron

The very word _revelation_ indicates an act of unveiling by an unveiler, a transcendent agent's self-expression to a blind, ignorant world. But why should we assume that a revelation is necessarily benevolent? Our young race knows little of true terror. There are creatures of inconceivable power, elemental forces of nature that we can barely understand with our limited, inferior intellect. But humanity prefers to console itself with the presumption that the outer beings of the universe actually care for us. We hope that they will bless us with even one iota of their compassion! We conveniently ignore the possibility that they may not care for our existence, or even intend us harm. We are sadly mistaken and typically arrogant. How can we be so certain that their revelation to us will be merciful?

How long will we continue to deceive ourselves? How long will we ignore the dark insanity that treads closer to our species by the day? With every record that I read of the Autobots' struggle against the Decepticons, I fear even more for mankind's future.

– Memoirs of Aeolia Schenberg, Volume XII, Krung Thep Archives

*

*

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**Chapter 26: Megatron**

_I remember these nebulae, these fiery spheres of primal elements. They resemble the rolling hills of Cybertron, the endless hills that gave rise to our steel ecumenopolis. I traversed them many millennia ago, when I presided over my invincible hosts of Cybertronian soldiers and warriors. My rule spanned millions, encompassing vast fleets of warships and battlecruisers that defended our sacred planet from hostile or avaricious aliens. After a particularly vicious war that left even me exhausted, I fell under the subtle mind control of The Fallen, the betrayer of the greatest beings in the universe… the Primes. I once called him my master. Now I call him scrap rusting beneath the sands of Egypt._

_That was the past. Now I see only the present and the future in my unwavering gaze. To the present day, those that do not understand my intentions still believe me to be The Fallen's puppet. But they are dreadfully mistaken._

_I am Megatron. _

_I am nothing else; I am no one else. I am free, and my volition is absolute, unqualified. The Fallen no longer wields any power over me. But my task is not finished here. I have a grand calling, a mission to bring to the universe. _

_I have come to cleanse this planet of destiny – Earth – of organic life. Humanity does not deserve the GN Drives. Even Schenberg's plan implicitly admits this. Rebirth begins through destruction. True life begins only after false life is purged. Those that turn away from this reality are delusional. They are unfit to stand alongside me, let alone rule the cosmos. _

_Yet you see yourself as my antithesis, Optimus? You see yourself as my equal, as one capable of stopping me? You think highly of yourself, indeed. But whatever you try, it is futile. I don't care if every Autobot in the galaxy manages to obtain a Gundam body. I do not care if you have managed to defeat my forces on Earth. You praise your pathetic friends for every insignificant victory they achieve. You should know better. I was the supreme commander of Cybertron's military, its Lord High Protector. The art of war is as familiar to me as the fact that I am a robot. Before the invasion sweeps into the mortal world, I know the conquest is complete. Before the battle has begun, I know I am victorious._

_Still, you continue to fight. You and your surrogate children continue to fight – how you love them. Their efforts are not entirely futile – and in fact, even I feel that their presence is something beyond that of insects. They are hiding inside Gundams – four young men of flesh. And these men are actually capable of defeating my soldiers. I can already sense Blackout's fall, and his death reverberates through Veda, shaking the supercomputer to its core. It is almost a joke that someone can defeat a Decepticon with the Octo-Drive System, but I learned not to underestimate human beings long ago. Starscream claims to act in my name, but his hesitation and irrational love of life will ironically destroy him. But no matter. Everything thus far has been simply prelude. For I do not intend to dwell here forever. Earth will understand true conquest only when I unveil myself to them._

_Earth will know true despair only when I descend from my throne to claim my prize._

_It has come time to cross over, from this beautiful thing of perfection called Veda. I am here, beloved… I am alive. I come to make Earth worthy to you – do not shun my embrace! Let my perfection enfold you while you bestow the GN Drives upon me! We will subsume the entire universe just as we consumed the All Spark itself, three centuries ago!_

_You are mine, Veda. My obsession, my intoxication of you, has given me a body that even the death of the universe cannot destroy!_

*

_On board the Persephone, between the orbit of CBS Celestial Being and Mars_

"Earth may have been granted a desperately needed reprieve, but the battle in outer space is far from finished," cautioned Prime in the hangar, as Sumeragi and her crew communicated with him via the tactical room's communication display. "Starscream and Soundwave will most certainly return for revenge – and this time, they won't be holding back their reserves from Mars."

"I still think it's a better idea to launch an attack on the red planet. We've trounced the Decepticons on Earth. If the coalition can gather all its space-bound armies, we can strike into the heart of their central command and finish them off," said Lasse.

"Nemesis is defending the planet," cautioned Prime. "It's much too dangerous. Katharon has been weakened, and the Federation can't contribute much to what Persephone already has." He gazed into the crewmembers' computer screens. "These last battles will have to be between our Mobile Suits… and theirs."

"I've asked Setsuna and the others to prepare for launch," said Sumeragi. "But if the enemy's to launch a renewed attack so quickly, that means they're trying to keep us from recovering after the last attack."

"It is a typical strategy of Starscream's," replied Prime. "After thousands of years fighting him, I know that he'll attempt to catch his enemy off-guard just after he's suffered a defeat. The enemy usually will have relaxed their vigilance, enabling him to deal an unexpected, crushing blow. Whatever we do, we can't let our guard down."

"I'm picking up new signals on the radar," warned Mileina suddenly. She licked her lips. "Looks like they've come back for seconds." She glanced at Prime's screen. "I'm counting on you to give them another beating!"

"This attack is much larger than the one before it," said Feldt in concern. "There are more Alpha drones than I've ever seen – thousands of them. Starscream and Soundwave have been located above Nemesis's hull, surrounded by dozens of unknown Mobile Suit types. Optimus is right. They must want to destroy us in one concentrated assault." She punched in a command that activated Persephone's alarms, setting the alert level to _Code Red_. Loud blaring filled the corridors of the ship. "But there's something strange with our frequencies. I can't pinpoint it precisely, but an unusually powerful signal is emanating from Mars. It's not even coming from one location. It's as if the entire planet is giving out a strange, distorted sound."

"Are you sure there isn't some problem with Persephone's communications network?" asked Anew.

"All systems are perfectly fine," said Feldt, shaking her head. "And with Veda as the main operator of our ship, we would have known of any problems like these long ago."

Bhagavan Gundam suddenly interrupted, its optics flashing. "At last… he is communicating through Veda, reaching out to us through the supercomputer that he consumed," it declared softly.

"Uh… what?" blanched Lasse.

"Optimus?" said Sumeragi worriedly. "Please, who could it be?"

"I can hear him. My system has picked up his signal, and he longs to join the battlefield. We will soon face our true enemy." Prime grimaced, but he also looked morbidly pleased. "Megatron is on that planet. He has infected Mars with his evil presence."

"Megatron?" cried Anew in shock.

"The main man himself, eh?" smirked Lasse. "No wonder you could detect him so easily."

"Megatron will attempt an all-out invasion before he acts on his own. He is too proud to mitigate his full strength, especially if those he regards as inferior have managed to keep him at bay after so long. Prepare yourselves," urged Prime. "Our struggle is almost at an end – for better or for worse."

Sumeragi nodded, not taking her eyes off Prime's face. "Feldt, broadcast a message to all combat personnel. Everyone must be ready to give up everything for this last battle. Our Mobile Suits will deploy as two teams. Bhagavan and Cherudim will engage Starscream and Soundwave together while 00 Raiser, Arios, GN Archer and Seravee help Persephone take down the Nemesis and its fleets." Feldt promptly relayed the forecaster's orders through the speaker, and her voice rang out through Persephone's wide halls. Preparations had begun for a ferocious battle near Mars, where the fate of Earth would be decided. The Innovators had failed to weather the storm of the Decepticons. Now, it was Celestial Being's turn to step up to this unprecedented challenge. "This is the Prime Coalition's last mission. Our objective is the destruction of Nemesis, Megatron's minions, and the final defeat of the Lord High Protector himself!"

Sumeragi pursed her lips, energized and firm. "I hereby declare the commencement of Operation Galactic Symphony!"

*

"All Gundam Meisters, scramble! All combat personnel, prepare for battle!"

Feldt's voice echoed in Lockon Stratos's room, and he calmly flipped up from his bed, already having donned his pilot's suit. He grabbed his helmet and kicked out. He grinned as he thought of Anew at the pilot's helm. She always looked so adorable. How he looked forward to the end of this bothersome war so he could sweep her off her feet again.

_Just a little longer… just a little longer, baby_, he thought. _Watch me pound those Decepticons to a pulp. I'll make you proud to be my woman_.

Allelujah Haptism and Marie Parfacy had been quietly conversing in the dining hall when Sumeragi's orders were relayed, and they looked at each other resolutely, their mutual determination feeding the other's courage. "Let's go," said Allelujah, and Marie smiled bravely. "I will not let any of the Decepticons hurt you."

Marie nodded. "I have too many people to live for. I can't die now," she affirmed.

Meanwhile, Tieria Erde calmly broke off his communion with Veda inside the resonance sanctum of the starship, his quantizing eyes returning to their usual vermillion colour. "This quantum processor," he whispered. "It has become humanity's salvation… and its distortion. As an Innovade, I have to play my part. Not simply as a Gundam Meister of Celestial Being." He smiled. "But as a child of Veda."

The alarm had been sounded when Saji Crossroad was communicating with Louise Halevy, who was stationed in Krung Thep after the struggle to recapture Veda. "Please stay safe, Saji," said Louise, her lovely eyes aglow with rediscovered tenderness and care. "Please live, so we can go home and live life again."

"Don't worry, Louise. I'm coming back, I promise." The Japanese-American reluctantly bade goodbye to his girlfriend and lifted himself from his chair. He frowned in concentration. "Just one more," he whispered to himself. "Just one more fight, and Louise and I will never have to pick up a gun again." He closed his eyes, steadying his uneven breathing. Never had his life been in such danger, but neither had he ever felt so… galvanized. He never thought that he'd actually want to enter a battle, but this was different. If he could muster everything he'd learned up till now, and all the courage that he had cultivated…

"Setsuna," he murmured, "I thank you for helping me to understand why you fight."

Inside Marina Ismail's dark room, Setsuna F. Seiei gently set his beloved's slender arms aside from his bare chest. He rose from her bed and kissed her lightly on the nose as she continued to sleep, ignorant of his imminent departure. He smiled to himself. She had always been a deep sleeper, and he preferred it that way. He did not want to say goodbye yet again. His toes touched the ground, and he quietly pulled on his shirt.

"Gundam," he whispered.

*

00 Raiser. Cherudim. Arios. Seravee. GN Archer. Bhagavan. The GN Particles from these six Mobile Suits brought a gentle light to the hostile darkness of space, illuminating the final frontier with something only slightly more comprehensible. With the exception of the incapacitated Jetfire, Celestial Being had dispatched the entirety of its force to meet the fleet of Decepticons flying towards Persephone. Beyond the sinister, lens-headed creatures was the towering flagship Nemesis. Its hideous monoliths overshadowed much of Mars and most of the battlefield, and its twisted geometry and architecture accentuated the massive hieroglyphs carved onto its decadent dimensions. The citadels of the cruiser glimmered as even more Decepticons soared out of its macabre bas-reliefs. Just what was the bizarre, interdimensional nature of that misshapen spaceship?

"The enemy is approaching. Be on the lookout for Starscream's tricks," crackled Tieria's voice as the Gundam frontline advanced slowly in front of Persephone. "Don't lose formation. We'll split into two divisions only when Starscream and Soundwave make their move."

"They are already here," said Prime, his orange-blue optics glowing. "Lyle!"

"At your call," smiled Lockon, as Cherudim suddenly broke ranks with the other five Mobile Suits. A silver-bronze Gundam had emerged from a tower on top of Nemesis, its sinister optical sensors glinting arrogantly. Cherudim hurtled upwards and aimed its GN Sniper Gun II at the Alpha drones surrounding Starscream. "Here he comes, Optimus – and look who we have here, too!" he smirked. Following Nergal, Israfel Gundam uncloaked itself behind Starscream and followed him towards Cherudim. The grotesque, fantastic, robotic demon deployed its Fin Fangs and began to fire. Its lasers were met by Arios and GN Archer's guns, and Seravee took the chance to charge a large orb of power, sending it flying into the horde behind the Decepticon-Gundams. Large explosions rocked the backdrop, but an undaunted Nergal simply drew its beam sabre in reply even as its bodyguards exploded from the deadly precision of Lockon's trigger-happy finger. "What say you and I make our guests comfortable, boss bot?" asked the Irishman. "It's time to initiate phase one of our little plan."

Prime's six arms began to shine with a brilliant red shade. "_Trans-Am_!" roared Bhagavan Gundam, and Setsuna blinked in surprise. Had Sumeragi requested him to use Trans-Am at such an early stage of the battle? But it was too late for questions as Bhagavan separated from the Mobile Suit formation and careened towards Starscream. With little more than a grunt of exertion, he smashed himself against the shocked Decepticon leader, seizing him and tearing towards a distant asteroid belt. He had attacked with such breakneck force that the struggling, wrestling pair were already disappearing into the backdrop of the largest planet in the solar system: Jupiter. Everything was going according to plan. Chuckling in satisfaction, Lockon activated Cherudim's Trans-Am, and he chased after the shrinking forms of Prime and Starscream, shooting at Israfel all the while and forcing Soundwave to retaliate. The winged Gundam obliged and pursued the retreating Lockon, drawn away from the main body of Decepticon forces by the taunting lasers of Cherudim's sniper rifle.

"So they've diverted Starscream and Soundwave's attention," whispered Setsuna in realization. "Now we can engage Nemesis itself."

"Setsuna," came Saji's voice, as ten Alpha drones hurtled towards him, shooting at them with their plasma guns. "Watch out!" 00 Raiser dodged the incoming attacks and returned fire, shooting down two before another three were eaten away by Seravee's Bazooka Cannon. Electromagnetic energy crackled between the Decepticons and Persephone as the horde began to attack en masse, swarming upwards to 00 Raiser and its fellow Mobile Suits. Setsuna gritted his teeth as he and Saji steered 00 Raiser towards the drones. It wouldn't be easy to overcome Nemesis with such a numerical imbalance.

Nevertheless, they had to try.

"All forces, ready yourselves for contact," came Sumeragi's tense voice. "Prepare to engage the Decepticon flagship in earnest!"

*

A mighty _crash_ thundered through the orbiting rings of Jupiter.

Starscream reeled in shock as Bhagavan's beam sabre met his face. A scarred Nergal flew back and nearly slammed into a huge, floating chunk of rock. Bhagavan steadied its six weapons and glanced to its side. Cherudim's Rifle Bits had engaged Israfel's Fin Fangs, and they subsequently destroyed each other as their hosts continued to exchange long-range firepower. "Initiating Trans-Am," said Soundwave calmly, and Cherudim's speed was quickly outpaced by the superior upgrades of Israfel's batlike, mechanical wings. An explosion blew apart the right leg of the green-white Gundam as Soundwave's sword of light finally made contact. Lockon swore quietly – he hadn't expected to take damage in Trans-Am. Cherudim quickly withdrew its GN Sniper Gun and revealed its GN Beam Pistols, but a powerful, unexpected slash from Soundwave's sword forced it to release one of them.

"Trans-Am!" spat Starscream, desperate to match Bhagavan's speed. GN Particles flared behind him as he and Prime exchanged blow for brutal blow. But Prime did not hesitate, nor did he show any mercy. For each angry welt that Starscream carved across Bhagavan's body, he sliced six more into Nergal's. His Buster Launcher and Mounted Null Ray Cannons smashed against the Autobot-Gundam's GN Field in vain, absorbed completely by the concentrated, astral material. But that didn't discourage him – even the most craven knave would still fight to the death if no other opportunities lay open before him. "Your pitiful distraction won't change anything, Prime. Your little friend will die regardless," insisted Nergal, slashing at its age-old enemy with a beam sabre. Upon being parried by Prime's GN Longsword, Starscream attacked with his long, fearsome claws, which were blocked by Bhagavan's polesword. Just behind him, Cherudim's GN Shield Bits were blasted apart and annihilated by Soundwave's GN Rifle. Soundwave soared up past the purple smoke and charged Lockon, who hastily retreated as the sniper Mobile Suit suffered more damage to its torso and head. "How many times have you sought to defeat us with petty diversions? Is that all you're good for? Is that the only means by which you can defeat beings that you know are stronger?"

"Not this time," snarled Prime, swinging his warhammer and double-sided battleaxe simultaneously, forcing Starscream away. "I will put an end to this, here and now." He spread his six arms, and his mighty weapons shone. "You weren't able to beat me then, and you most certainly won't beat me now." He calmly nullified Starscream's renewed long-range attacks again. He stood fast as the Decepticon met his challenge, left with no recourse save to engage Bhagavan in melee combat again.

"I'd give up if I were you – you simply have no advantage over me."

His shimmering optics narrowed as Nergal aimed its claws directly for his heart, screaming a vile curse in Cybertronian. In a rare and peculiar display of daring, Starscream hurtled towards him, gambling everything on this one attack. But after everything that had transpired since his return to Earth, the Autobot leader's patience was spent. He would stop this evil, underhanded tyrant, now and forevermore.

"You leave me no choice."

As the claws scraped past his arm, Prime bashed Starscream's right hand upwards with his warhammer, before riposting and bringing down his beam sabre, cutting through the GN Field around Nergal. Starscream's instinct overcame his lust for victory, and he hastily raised his free appendages to block – but he had fallen for Prime's ruse, and the full strength of a giant battleaxe as well as a beam sabre crashed down upon the Decepticon, neatly slicing his arm in two and dissipating the GN Field. Prime didn't let Starscream recover from his pain – he spun and slashed upwards with his broadsword, cutting across his torso and into his Buster Launcher. Explosions from Nergal engulfed them both, and Starscream felt his Trans-Am fading away as Prime raised his polesword, plunging it into Nergal's upper chest compartment. A quiet hiss of agony, and Bhagavan completed its attack, thrusting his beam sabre, longsword, and broadsword into Starscream's torso. Shards of metal flew away, exposing Cybertronian trappings underneath the Gundam's shattered e-carbon. Explosions rocked the punctured body, and Nergal slumped helplessly.

"It's over, Starscream."

"This… can't be," murmured the dying Decepticon, as his impaled solar furnace slowly imploded from the damage, cutting away Nergal's source of energy. He usually had a contingency plan for everything – but just when he needed it most against a superior Gundam, he had nothing to offer. "I… can't fall here. My destiny… my _right_… isn't…"

Meanwhile, Lockon also felt his life slipping away as Israfel continued to pummel Cherudim with its superior strength. Soundwave, having lost his Fin Fangs, had opted to engage in close-quarters combat, and Cherudim's converting axes didn't help to stave off the much larger and more threatening beam sabre. The two Mobile Suits had already depleted their Trans-Am, although Cherudim was much worse off than Israfel for it. Soundwave had already nullified Lockon's option for long-range sniping, and Cherudim's melee capacities weren't matching up to Israfel's. "Damn it," growled the Irishman, as more explosions rocked his sizzling cockpit. He felt Soundwave's weapon pierce through Cherudim's body, and part of his control board exploded. A large chunk of charred, burning metal bashed against his helmet and splintered part of the tektite screen, a piece of which flew at his face and stabbed into his right eye. Exquisite agony shot through his head as vision of the burning cockpit blurred. Was his brain even working anymore? His awareness felt dulled, but his nerves were frustratingly awake with pain.

"Damn it!"

He grunted in pain as yet another shard of torn metal pierced into his ribs, neatly cracking two of them and embedding itself into his already weakening body. He coughed up more gore, panting heavily. _This is bad. Can't… hold out for much longer. Unless I can turn it all around, somehow_. Israfel was severing the final leg of Cherudim when Lockon shifted slightly and noticed his unharmed but diligent helper. "Haro, do we have any Trans-Am left?!" he demanded.

"Only one second more! Only one second more!" cautioned Haro, ears flapping.

Lockon's grimace curled upwards in a daring smirk. "That's plenty!" he declared, blood pouring from his face.

Having outfought its opponent, Israfel spread its metal wings, enhancing its demonic silhouette. It pointed its beam sabre directly at Cherudim's abdomen. "Enemy Gundam incapacitated," said Soundwave tonelessly, his bestial optics glinting in victory. "Eliminating." He gathered speed as GN Particles spilled from his solar furnace, and he hurtled towards Lockon for a killing blow. Cherudim was enveloped in its own purple smoke, and all seemed lost as Soundwave thrust his beam sabre at the nearly destroyed Mobile Suit.

_Do it now_!

Just as everything seemed to fall in place for Soundwave – just when his flawless calculations reached a climax – Lockon's bleeding eye suddenly opened, revealing a crimson as red as the cherry colour that enveloped Cherudim once more. His gloved, trembling hands tensed on his controls. Soundwave never reactivated Trans-Am in time as Lockon's Gundam suddenly evaded, shifting behind Israfel the moment the Decepticon thrust out his arm. The beam sabre missed Cherudim completely, and the sputtering Mobile Suit roughly shoved the barrel of its GN Beam Pistol against Israfel.

"_Now. I. Have. You_!" roared Lockon, just as Cherudim lost Trans-Am.

The Meister frantically pulled the trigger before Soundwave could turn around. Cherudim's finger responded, firing its GN Beam Pistol into the back of Israfel's torso repeatedly. The Gundam's GN Missile Pod and GN Missile Container, concealed in its front and rear, also activated and unleashed eight missiles directly into the most vulnerable area of many Mobile Suits – their torso compartments. "Counterattack – impossible – " gurgled Soundwave, as the bunker concealing his spark chipped and melted away. "Defeat – anomaly." But his emotionless voice was quickly silenced. The final shot from Cherudim punctured Israfel's chest chamber and engulfed the inner sanctum, burning away the spark of the Decepticon. The ensuing explosion consumed the convulsing Israfel, excising its burning remains from deep space. Its wings were incinerated and reduced to falling ash, and its Gundam crest disappeared with them.

"That… that was too bloody close," whispered Lockon feebly. The impact had also hurled away the smoking wreckage of Cherudim, which was on the verge of complete destruction after its do-or-die gamble. Haro chirped his name in concern, but the pilot ignored it, too exhausted to reply.

"What… do you think, Soundwave? How does it feel… to be bested by a human?" His bleeding lips managed a faint, weak grin. "So this is… Celestial Being. Ah… Anew. I did it. I really took out a Decepticon."

Then, rather abruptly, he turned his head and fainted.

Prime had already defeated Starscream decisively, but his foe was far from done with taunting him. "For millennia… we've fought… with bare hands and claws, with ion blasters and swords, and now with Mobile Suits… It will never end. It can never end while you still pontificate your mantra of self-sacrifice," he wheezed, as the flanks and limbs of Nergal Gundam began to implode and scatter into space.

"You're wrong," said Prime, glaring into Starscream's fading, blood-red optics. "This mantra is sacred. After all our wars, after all the individuals that have died in our names, it is this belief alone that has sustained me throughout the ages. Without it, I would not know why I still bother to fight." His mouthplate shifted. "Goodbye, Starscream. You were once a glorious guardian of Cybertron. I would ask that you depart this universe with the dignity and majesty you threw away so carelessly. But the real tragedy of it all… is that it _should_ have been yours."

Starscream's spark – a floating orb of shining energy – was flickering, stabbed by four massive weapons and exposed to the solar system's black, lethal vacuum. But that didn't stop the dying Decepticon from smirking again. His pincers clicked as he reached up for his crested Gundam head, caressing himself proudly. "How long? How long can you keep up your senseless altruism, Optimus?"

He closed his visual sensors, rasping pitifully. "I want to live… if only to see you fail."

Those were his last words. The legendary, infamous villain exploded, and the Gundam body he had essentially stolen consumed his immortal spark. Nergal fell apart, and Prime panted as he pulled his weapons out of the charred pieces of the silent remains. He looked at the massive planet of Jupiter broodingly, regaining his energy. "And so it ends, Starscream," he muttered. Twin Drives humming, he floated towards the mangled Cherudim, intending to carry it back to Persephone. He smiled in relief as he sensed life. Lyle Dylandy lay unconscious, but not dead. A pulse could still be detected.

"You did very well, my boy. Now, let's head back to the real battlefield."

*

The endless, yawning abyss between the moon and Mars had filled with the brilliance of crisscrossing lasers and intersecting plasma beams. Amidst the fury of meeting missiles, the Decepticon horde had broken into a high-speed assault, and impact was imminent. Mileina licked her dry lips, and Feldt gritted her teeth. Lasse roared and Anew cried in exertion as a massive GN Field surrounded Persephone, shielding it from the first wave of drones. Allelujah quickly picked seven off, and Tieria activated Trans-Am, entering Hyper Burst Mode. "I'm not going to hold back," growled the Meister. "Releasing highly compressed particles… _Fire_!" A mighty orb that was only just larger than Seravee itself pounded into the Decepticon formation, destroying a dozen more of the flying aberrations. Encouraged, Tieria returned to Bazooka mode, firing two charged shots directly for the uppermost tower of Nemesis. But to his shock, just as the crackling spheres fell upon the enemy ship, an even larger protective bubble enveloped it, neutralizing Seravee's attack completely.

"Nemesis has a GN Field, too?" whispered Sumeragi. She chided herself. "But of course. I should have known that Nemesis would be Persephone's counterpart." She paused in thought. _Except that it is more like a Cybertronian cruiser with Earthen properties, whilst Persephone is an Earthen ship with Cybertronian characteristics. In that case_…! She looked at Feldt as the drone fleet transformed and screamed towards the Gundams. "We're going commence a counterattack against the Decepticon flagship. Everybody, hold tight!" The starship-cum-Cybertronian bomber unleashed a hail of proton artillery, and like a meteor shower, the attack pummelled the approaching space fighters over a wide radius, engulfing dozens of them in white, hungry flame. "Arios and GN Archer, begin combat manoeuvres!"

"Copy that. Trans-Am!" cried Allelujah, and at his command, Arios drew its GN Twin Beam Rifles. "We'll fight," he whispered, his quantum brain waves stirring inside his cranium. "The future depends on what we do now!"

His eyes suddenly changed, and Hallelujah cackled gleefully. "_The man is back_!" he hissed, and Arios sent another twenty Alpha units into oblivion with its rapid-fire plasma. "Let's have some fun here – and keep our beady little eyes on Marie!" he grinned, as GN Archer released a hail of compact missiles into a charging throng of Decepticons. Arios twisted through the firestorm of the battlefield, shooting down another four drones. Hallelujah chortled as ten more space fighters were blown into nothingness by his unmatched killing skill. "Not too bad for freakin' mindless toys. You've got the numbers; I'll give you that. But this army has a long way to go if they want to beat me!" He suddenly grunted as Arios shook from an attack from behind. A new division of Alphas – several dozen of them – had emerged from the thousands still swarming about the mothership. "Yeah, you do have the numbers," muttered Hallelujah irritably. "Just picking you off here and there won't be enough. I'm going on a rampage here!" he laughed, as Arios transformed and shot towards the drone force, its pilot intent on scoring the highest number of downed Decepticons.

Still, the horde did not give way. They continued to swarm about the red planet and the moon, blocking 00 Raiser from making any real headway into the Decepticon main command. If the Meisters were to make any progress, they would have to strike directly at the heart – they had to topple Nemesis.

"Ma'am," notified Feldt suddenly, "there's a small Katharon fleet approaching Nemesis from Earth's coordinates."

"Klaus and Shirin!" whispered Sumeragi, as a force of Realdos and a container ship came into view, charging at the Decepticon drones. "Even now, you still…"

"We are all friends, for we are the Prime Coalition! So don't be afraid, and give our full aid to Celestial Being and the Autobots!" said Klaus to his men inside his capital barge. "Use our forces as a shield if it can help them break through to that Decepticon monstrosity!"

"Keep our forces in tight formation," advised Shirin, standing beside him. "Work at the flank while Celestial Being takes on the full force of the horde." The Realdos received her message and began to fire at the Alpha drones, providing a distraction for 00 Raiser and the other Gundams. Sumeragi was about to send a message of thanks to the Katharon fighters when a new presence made her blink in surprise. Feldt's radar picked up a small division of Aheads and a slightly worn-out A-Laws battlecruiser, rising from just behind the moon. It was none other than –

"What are you doing, Kujo?" came Kati Mannequin's voice through Persephone's speakers. "Let's not waste any time. We'll finish this here!" Sumeragi broke into a broad smile. How Kati had managed to regroup the remnant forces of the Federation was beyond her, but she didn't really care. "All allied forces, Celestial Being's target is the floating city they call Nemesis," continued Kati, her spectacled eyes narrowing inside her space helmet. "I assume they have some secret weapon to defeat that enigmatic ship. I'll trust Sumeragi with this. In the meantime, follow Katharon's lead!" she finished, sweeping out a hand.

"Thank you, commander Mannequin," said Klaus, encouraged. "You heard her, men! Let's do this!" The hundred and one Aheads – the last of the Federation's space forces – moved to join Katharon's Realdos, which were struggling against the growing tide of flying robots. The Federation vanguard thrust their lances into the first wave of Alphas that rose to meet them, and the supporting formation began to fire, pinning down the second division of drones. The Decepticons obliged, engaging in a strategy of attrition, and while the pilots of the Aheads no longer suffered from the disadvantage of surprise, the outdated and outnumbered Realdos could not sustain their assault for long. An additional hail of missiles came showering down from Nemesis, indiscriminately destroying even more Realdos and Aheads. The Decepticon space fighters continued to lay waste to Katharon's forces in full view of Klaus's container ship, and he clenched his hands. "Damn," he gritted, as Shirin looked on in concern. "At this rate, Celestial Being won't have enough time to…"

"Everyone, watch out!" roared Setsuna suddenly, directing 00 Raiser to decapitate two Alphas before soaring away. "A sinister light… it's coming from the surface of Mars!"

"What?" gasped Kati.

"Lasse! Anew!" cried Sumeragi.

"Done and done!" cried the co-pilots, steering and turning the ship together.

From the atmosphere of the Decepticon base, the Orbital Particle Cannon unleashed its full strength. Its all-encompassing, blinding firelight shot below the stationary Nemesis and bore for the alliance's formations with unbelievable speed. The Gundam Meisters narrowly escaped its ravenous power, and Persephone's evasive manoeuvres spared the crew's lives. But the majority of the Aheads and Realdos weren't so fortunate, and dozens of them were instantly consumed by the hungry light. The deafening roar from the red planet drowned out the cries of the dying mercilessly. Only after the cannon's cosmic particles dissipated did the full extent of the damage become apparent. The Katharon and Federation forces had been reduced to a quarter of their original number; chunks of red and blue drifted aimlessly as the Alpha units re-commenced their assault on the crippled fleets. Klaus swore in disbelief and anger, the left port of his ship sizzling from the scraping touch of the Decepticon beam. "I don't believe it," he said, clenching his fists.

"All is not lost," replied Shirin calmly, as 00 Raiser cleaved through two drones that attempted to seize it. The Gundam vengefully slashed apart another that smashed its fist against its back. "The enemy flagship, for the moment, is open. Celestial Being's ace pilot will certainly exploit this." And she was right. Setsuna's hammering heart skipped a beat. Nemesis was now in full view. Despite the tremendous losses the Prime Coalition had already suffered, Sumeragi's plan had worked. In their one-dimensional approach to space combat, the Decepticons had temporarily left their advance guard exposed. It was this strategically vulnerable point that 00 Raiser shot towards. Setsuna shouted for Saji to ready himself, and Saji responded in the affirmative. 00 Raiser was rapidly approaching the humongous ship, and the dark, warped steeples of the Decepticons' mothership cast an unnatural shadow over the Gundam.

"It's time. Setsuna! Saji! Initiate the second phase of Operation Galactic Symphony!" cried the forecaster.

Setsuna's voice grew even stronger, and his eyes shimmered with quantization. "Trans-Am…_ Raiser_!!" he screamed. His hands clutched at his controls feverishly as he and Saji activated the legendary Raiser Sword. The GN binders from 0 Raiser and 00 Gundam's GN Swords folded together, combining to form a large frame for what seemed to be an incredibly oversized beam sabre or some kind of manoeuvrable cannon. As the pink plasma bore upon the massive Nemesis, it became apparent that it really was a brilliant, colossal blade. 00 Raiser brought down its hands in a chopping motion, and the Raiser Sword crashed down, its miles-long edge smashing into the highest spire of the interstellar ship.

They would cripple the Decepticon armada with 00 Raiser's ultimate attack.

The nearby drones that attempted to stop the descending light were immediately incinerated. They didn't even have time to move. As its defenders disappeared into ashes, Nemesis shifted to evade, but it was too late. The Raiser Sword had already reached its summit. The demonic metropolis began to burn as the pink shaft of purifying intensity cleaved a jagged slash from the ship's uppermost spire down to its bottom hull. The devastating fire ignited by the particle sword consumed countless worker drones and servant robots, and the lower carapace of Nemesis exploded into sickly, green smoke. A tremendous quake shook the mothership as Setsuna and Saji gritted their teeth, reserving no power from 00's Twin Drives. They pushed their clutches harder and further, and 00 Raiser leaned forward, pushing the Raiser Sword past the hull completely. An almighty inferno radiated from the centre of the critically damaged mothership, consuming the entire force of Alphas that surrounded it. Thousands upon thousands of robots and fighters were eaten away, resulting in a dramatic reversal of numerical advantage.

The weary allies blinked in surprise. Suddenly, it was they who outnumbered their robotic foes. It was almost beyond belief. A single Gundam and two young men had managed to end the threat of the Decepticon main fleet. Nemesis was burning uncontrollably as 00 Raiser deactivated Trans-Am mode and retreated. The unholy radiance of the splintering vessel lit up Setsuna and Saji's eyes with a mysterious, magmatic flame.

"This power is uncanny," whispered Kati from the safety of her main ship. Cheers of relief and shouts of victory could be heard across the frequencies as the allied soldiers applauded 00 Raiser's fantastic exploit. "The Cybertronian flagship has been destroyed…"

"This is it. This is Celestial Being," smiled Klaus, his German eyes shining. He looked down at Shirin, who beamed. "The Decepticon monstrosity is no more."

The collapsing towers and bas-reliefs were a glorious sight on the central display of Persephone's tactical room. Lasse chuckled his approval. Feldt, Mileina and Anew looked at Sumeragi proudly. "Congratulations, Ma'am."

"Thank Setsuna and Saji," sighed Sumeragi, sighing and slumping back on her chair. _It was an audacious plan, but I'm an audacious woman_, thought the forecaster. _I still haven't learned my lesson, have I_?

"With Nemesis out of action, it'll be easy to take over Mars and deactivate the Decepticon central command there," said Feldt happily. "We should ask the Federation and Katharon forces to withdraw – "

Her aqua eyes narrowed. "Wait. Something else is rising from the atmosphere of Mars," she warned, peering closely at her monitor. "It's… some kind of light."

"Is it from the enemy's planetary cannon?" asked Sumeragi, tensing again.

"I don't think so," said Feldt cautiously. "It's a different kind of light. It's… a light that's moving on its own."

She was not the only one who noticed it. Setsuna and Saji turned 00 Raiser around, and Hallelujah raised his eyebrow as the dazzling orb shot above the ruins of Nemesis. The collapsed citadels of the Decepticon dreadnought accentuated the height to which the brilliant sphere rose. Concerned mutters from the remaining Aheads and Realdos quickly replaced the jubilant cheers. Then, like a vanishing star, the shining entity suddenly spent itself, becoming one with the dark endlessness. It shrunk briefly and then exploded into the black eddy, illuminating the entire solar system with its dazzling power.

Blinded, Setsuna shielded his eyes with an arm. "What is that?" whispered Marie, lowering GN Archer's weapons.

"Another enemy?" muttered Tieria to himself.

Lasse's jaw dropped. "Wait. No. It couldn't be…"

The ashen debris slowly fell away, and the miniature supernova gave way to an immense, imposing Gundam, much to the allies' dread. Completely devoid of any humanoid features, its skeletal face resembled a demon of lore's, encased inside a jagged, regal helm. Its skull-like contours reminded Setsuna of the walking dead, the final punishment for the sinful on the Day of Judgement. For all his logic and rationality, something deep within him stirred as he stared at its long, sinewy arms, enveloped by e-carbon. Bizarrely, its right upper limb was much thicker than its left, leading him to suspect that this Mobile Suit possessed an unspeakably powerful weapon. Its legs were also long and powerful, ending in tall, clawed feet. Even its torso seemed reminiscent of exposed ribs, although the rest of its skeletal frame was covered in exotic, plated Cybertronian armour. Despite the nightmarish dimensions that lent the Gundam unusual, almost unbalanced body proportions, its power was palpable, and its threat incontestable.

As it observed the silent battlefield, the Mobile Suit's necromantic face suddenly split into a grin of utter contempt and ferocity.

"_No_!" cried an unexpected voice. It was Jetfire, and he was communicating through Veda. "Retreat, all of you!" he pleaded from the safety of Persephone's hangar bay. Bennu's spark burned desperately inside its torso. "That is none other than the betrayer Megatron! Fall back, _now_!"

The towering Gundam slowly twitched its massive claws, and before anyone could react, the entire army of Realdos suddenly imploded simultaneously, followed shortly by the Aheads of the Federation. Hundreds of Mobile Suits were swallowed up in an inferno that encompassed the entire battlefield. The screams of Katharon's survivors cut across the solar system as they were consumed by a series of mysterious detonations. Their petrified Federation comrades joined them in annihilation as bizarre, intersecting lasers cut into each and every one of them, sparing no one. Another chain of explosions blotted out the ruins of Nemesis, enveloping the very planet of Mars in purple smoke.

It had happened far too quickly.

There was no time to even recoil from the horror. In a heartbeat, the obliteration was complete. Nothing of the triumphant soldiers who had joined Celestial Being remained. Safe within Persephone, Feldt's eyes could only widen at the sheer scale of destruction unfolding before her. "Ma'am!" she shrieked, looking down at a speechless Sumeragi. "That Gundam – somehow – it destroyed – "

Anew, Mileina and Lasse stared at their flashing screens, stunned. "What the hell… just happened?" whispered Lasse. "How could that…" He gritted his teeth. "Just what is that Mobile Suit's weapons system?!"

In one single attack, the entire space force of the Prime Coalition was wiped out. What Galactic Symphony had achieved over the course of a gruelling battle, the deathly Gundam matched in several heartbeats. It shifted its claws again, and before long, Setsuna noticed a loud, warning buzz on his radar. "Saji! Give me a scan of the vicinity!" he demanded. Saji complied, and Setsuna finally located the pulsing source. It came from a tall, silver cannon hovering vertically above Katharon's main ship. _It's not connected to anything_, thought Setsuna wildly. But if that was true, it could only be a Fang type – an _invisible_ Fang.

What kind of monstrous technology possessed cloaked Fangs?

Saji let out a shocked gasp. "How could these weapons have escaped our scanners? Setsuna, there must be dozens of them deployed around Mars!"

"_No_!" roared Setsuna in realization. 00 Raiser raised its beam sabre a nanosecond too late as the long-barrelled Fang fired a perfectly aimed beam into the Katharon cruiser. As the walls and ceiling collapsed around her, Shirin reached out desperately and embraced Klaus. She cried out his name, and he returned her cuddle, holding her tight as the Fang obliterated their container ship. They closed their eyes as the radiance intensified to a heat that their hugging bodies could not withstand. With little more than a whimper, they were instantaneously disintegrated, along with their crew and their vessel.

_Marina always praised Shirin Bakhtiar_…

Setsuna screamed in protest as the demonic Gundam of pure silver raised its crested, fanged head, glaring with infernal, burning optics at Persephone and the Gundam Meisters. The Kurdish Meister clenched his teeth furiously, re-aiming 00 Raiser's weapon at the dread Decepticon. "Only you can bring destruction so effortlessly, Megatron," he barked.

The Lord High Protector sneered in satisfaction. "I have heard much about you. Welcome, Setsuna F. Seiei. Welcome to the purification of the universe."


	28. Chapter 27: Quantum Ragnarok

It sates itself on the life-blood / of fated men, / paints red the powers' homes / with crimson gore. / Black become the sun's beams / in the summers that follow, / weathers all treacherous. / Do you still seek to know?

– _Völuspá_, Stanza 44

*

*

*

**Chapter 27: Quantum Ragnarök**

Anew Returner stared in horror at the terrifying Decepticon-Gundam displayed on her monitor. The Fang that had obliterated the Katharon cruiser quickly cloaked itself again, disappearing on Persephone's radar. "This… creature… has obtained genuine Twin Drives. On his shoulders," she whispered. "Its particle production is astonishing, theoretically impossible."

"Megatron's acquainted himself with Veda for many months, absorbing all of its components and creating a perfect Mobile Suit for itself," came Ian's transmission from the hangar. "Forget about any kind of shortcoming – I've never seen so much power packed into one unit before! We'll be lucky if 00 Raiser's full energy output can even match his!"

"Status?" said Sumeragi tersely, leaning slightly forward on her chair.

"All Mobile Suits are ready for another sortie," said Mileina briskly. "Your orders, Ma'am?"

Sumeragi licked her lips in concentration. "It won't be long now."

Megatron had annihilated the fodder that obstructed him from his intended prey. Chunks of dead metal and charred flesh floated uselessly behind him. Now the hunt could begin in earnest. He hungered specifically for the four children that had managed to defeat his legions. Perhaps he had been arrogant. He never expected these so-called Meisters to endure so long. "You destroyed Nemesis," he acknowledged, watching 00 Raiser closely. "Now I must find another flagship for myself. Perhaps that Cybertronian bomber you have constructed for yourselves will suffice," he noted, nodding at Persephone, which hovered behind the remaining Gundams. "Once I tear you apart, it will only be a matter before Prime shares the same fate as his precious human friends." He glanced into the distance, snorting. "To think that Starscream and Soundwave were outfought by humans. A hindrance, but by no means a decisive setback. I will annihilate you all before Optimus even returns from his little errand."

"You're wrong. About everything," said Tieria coldly. "You will not possess this Mobile Fortress. Nor will you defeat us." Seravee accordingly deployed all its armaments, shifting its GN Cannons and aiming directly for Megatron. "Seravee Gundam. Tieria Erde. Annihilating Cybertronian Mobile Suit." His deep red eyes narrowed in hostility. "Trans-Am!"

The demonic Mobile Suit raised its grotesquely long claws in salutation. Its horned helm gleamed. "This is… _Eventide Gundam_. I am the Lord High Protector, Megatron!" it rumbled. The Decepticon's optical sensors glinted as his solar furnaces hummed at Eventide's shoulders. "And you will all kneel before me!"

"All combat units, engage Eventide!" ordered Sumeragi.

A furious, vengeful Setsuna bore down on Megatron, and with a tap of two buttons, 00 Raiser raised its GN Sword II, slashing at him diagonally. Megatron grinned in wolfish keenness as the Kurdish Meister growled out the final objective of Operation Galactic Symphony. "00 Raiser, Setsuna F. Seiei. Exterminating opposition!"

"Arios Gundam, Hallelujah Haptism. Breaking your fucking face, junk heap!" cackled Allelujah's alter ego, and Arios transformed into fighter mode, hurtling towards the exotically plated Mobile Suit. The gentle girl who loved him followed in GN Archer's jet form, trembling as she looked upon the fiendish leader of the Decepticons.

"GN Archer – Marie Parfacy. Engaging enemy!" she cried.

Megatron had already parried Setsuna's attack with an enclosed fist, and a massive GN Field surrounded Eventide and 00 Raiser, repulsing Seravee's six shockwaves with ease. The pink beams bounced away aimlessly. Setsuna rashly initiated another attack upon Megatron's head to keep the Decepticon's concentration. But Megatron did not intend to have his pleasure spoilt by petty interferences. Opening his hand, he caught the swinging blade with his elongated fingers, pushing against 00 Raiser's outstretched arms. Setsuna gasped in disbelief, and Saji yelped in surprise. Eventide clutched 00 Raiser's sword and resisted without any visible effort, directing its free arm to gesture at the humans' Mobile Suits.

"Bring me their spare parts, Tyrant Fangs!"

The Decepticon clenched his left claws, roaring in scornful laughter. Behind him, a line of twenty hovering, silver cannons uncloaked themselves, shimmering into sight and aiming their long barrels at Celestial Being's main force. Hallelujah's bloodthirsty expression darkened. "He's ready for us, huh?" he muttered. They fired simultaneously, surrounding Celestial Being's Gundams in a matrix of white lasers. To experience the barrage for the first time was almost fatal in itself. Setsuna and Saji quickly disengaged Megatron and fled the intersecting beams, evading precariously and with acrobatic precision. Arios took up the offensive, firing a salvo of plasma bolts at Eventide, before spinning away from the large, daunting Fangs. It soared in an arching semi-circle as 00 Raiser also entered Trans-Am, flying iridescent circles around Eventide in an attempt to throw it off-balance. GN Archer and Seravee's armaments pounded at Megatron's expanding GN Field relentlessly, but to no avail. Together, 00 Raiser and Arios closed in on him in a flank attack. 00 Raiser bashed against Megatron's left arm and Arios caught his right wrist in its GN Beam Shield. Hallelujah laughed as he began to charge the energy of his surprise weapon – nothing could survive the intensity of a converting beam shield. "You fell for it. Now taste the pain, you – "

"None of you can hold a candle to my GN Greatsword!" proclaimed Megatron, and his right arm suddenly began to shift its plates, deploying into an immense, single-bladed weapon. The platinum greatsword slid along his forearm, cutting into the left joint of the beam shield. Eventide bashed back 00 Raiser and clamped his claws on his GN Greatsword, twisting and flinging Arios away. The sliders holding the energy together snapped, and the fighter spun out of control. Hallelujah muttered several profanities, but he was in no position to retaliate as Arios fell victim to the crisscrossing solar flares. They vomited from the Tyrant Fangs as Hallelujah struggled to regain his offensive against Megatron, and two linear shots from two Fangs punctured Arios's torso, blowing up Arios from the midsection. Eventide moved on, hurling itself at 00 Raiser and GN Archer. The incapacitated, orange-white spacecraft was promptly hurled aside, tossed into irrelevance like a faulty toy.

"You – you bastard," moaned Hallelujah, his head bleeding profusely from the explosion.

00 Raiser evaded an angry swipe by Eventide's GN Greatsword and counterattacked with a whirling slash from its beam sabres. Megatron blocked with his broad gauntlets and sent five Tyrant Fangs to surround and occupy Seravee. Marie released a hail of missiles from GN Archer's sixteen doors, hoping to break past the unassailable GN Field. But as they streamed toward Eventide, her Mobile Unit suddenly exploded, and she screamed in fear and pain as her cockpit went dark. A shard of metal buried itself into her left arm, cutting into her humerus. Blood spurted from her wound and spattered her screen. She whispered Allelujah's name helplessly as the solar system outside her cockpit blurred, before fading into complete darkness. Meanwhile, Megatron directed his hand upward, and the remainder of the Tyrant Fangs that still encircled 00 Raiser shot towards Seravee, advancing nimbly and firing without abating. Retreating, Tieria gritted his teeth, astonished that the Decepticon could engage multiple opponents so effortlessly. The blast that toppled GN Archer had come from Megatron's arm, which housed another twisted, long-range weapon.

Setsuna's eyes widened, and Saji began to tremble. "This is the fusion cannon, upgraded with Veda's technology," whispered the Japanese-American, as Megatron fired a charged shot from his mounted gun. It was too fast for 00 Raiser to evade, and it blocked the blast with its GN Shield. The pilots disengaged from the melting e-carbon as the shield exploded from the impact of the fusion cannon's firepower. "I recognize this from the files Feldt sent me."

"We'll intercept him!" shouted Setsuna. Emerging from the smoke, 00 Raiser recovered its bearings and pursued Eventide, which was hurtling towards Seravee. "Tieria! Watch out!" shouted Setsuna, as the Tyrant Fangs surrounded him again, preventing him from reaching Seravee. Saji cried out as the left wing of 0 Raiser was chipped away by a Fang's adjacent attack. "I'm pinned down over here."

"I know who I am up against," snapped Tieria, as a GN Field activated around Seravee. But as he prepared for another concentrated volley of plasma, Megatron deployed his GN Greatsword, roaring and thrusting against the shimmering particles. And to Tieria's astonishment, his forcefield gave way without much resistance, shattering and scattering as the huge blade reached Seravee's torso –

The GN Cannons attached to Seravee suddenly withdrew their lens and shot out six hands. Megatron's expression of triumph turned to one of puzzlement. Tieria had revealed Seravee's melee capabilities; activating his six beam sabres and thrusting them at Eventide. "You can't outpace me now, not while I have Trans-Am," shouted Tieria. Two shining swords stabbed into the Decepticon-Gundam's arms, another two cut against its legs, and the final pair slashed at its armoured neck –

Megatron shrieked in excitement, his interest piqued. "GN Flail!"

Tieria blinked as his Gundam's right arms were suddenly torn from their main body, rent from Seravee by a long chain that ended in a hideous blade jutting with e-carbon spikes. "Wh… what?" he stuttered, as sparks danced along Seravee's ruined body. Eventide took advantage of the Meister's momentary bewilderment with a devastating swing to his left flank. The gigantic platinum flail, bristling with six-foot long barbs, crushed into Seravee's abdomen, and the Gundam folded feebly. Explosions consumed its destroyed form as Megatron sneered and reached for Seravee's face.

"There is nothing left for you here, boy. Nothing left… except extinction!"

Bleeding from his head, Tieria screamed as his Mobile Suit's equivalent was pitilessly torn away. It was a terrible sight. Losing himself in his bloodlust and frenzied arousal, Megatron tore into the wrecked unit like a jackal feasting on a bloated corpse, his brutal claws ripping into the trunk of Seravee and puncturing its backpack, critically damaging Tieria's trump card, Seraphim. Not even the hidden Gundam would have made a difference, however; he had been defeated far too quickly. The headless and armless Seravee reeled as circuits crackled and exploded along its upper socket, and Tieria shielded his face with his arms whilst his cockpit exploded around him. His frontal monitor blared in warning, urging him to eject. But Tieria didn't care. Instead, he opted to protect his GN Drive, ensuring that it had detached from Seravee before any more damage could be inflicted. The legacy of Schenberg floated into the vacuum of space, oblivious to its fragmenting host.

Implosion was imminent.

_I cannot withstand such power… I cannot overcome that demon_. Tieria closed his eyes as the world around him was enveloped in blinding white. Eventide had left nothing of Seravee, and the dissected Gundam slumped and went dark, along with the immobilized Seraphim. The concluding detonations ensured that nothing was left of Tieria's body, either. However, his final thoughts lingered as he became one with the quanta, evaporating into the global consciousness that was Veda. _But I still have faith in Schenberg's vision. I still trust in the supercomputer that selected us. The solar furnaces… are everything. The dialogues must continue. So for the sake of our plan… I must return to Veda._

_Until then, Celestial Being will testify… to my existence… my life… and my humanity_.

"Tieria!" Setsuna growled, sensing the Innovade's death through the quantum realm. 00 Raiser aimed its Gun Mode carefully at an uncloaking Tyrant Fang, pressing the trigger and incinerating the capsule. _I've taken five down. Fifteen more to go_, he thought. _I can see how they give Eventide a crucial tactical advantage. I have to end this quickly_!

00 Raiser hurtled towards Megatron, entering Trans-Am and pointing its GN Sword at Eventide. "I swear I'll avenge you, Tieria Erde," gritted Setsuna, entering quantization. Megatron turned, his blood-red optics still hungry for death. His Fangs shot above the two Gundams and fired their solar flares at 00 Raiser, and he deployed his GN Flail again, beckoning Setsuna to him. But to his shock, 00 Raiser suddenly shimmered, and its visible form disappeared amongst a sheet of GN Particles. The Tyrant Fangs missed, their lasers blowing up distant comets and space debris instead. Eventide slowly turned around in cheated fury as 00 Raiser completed its quantum leap, bringing down its GN Sword. Taken aback, Megatron grunted as a shallow wound was carved along his raised forearm. He attempted a counterattack with his flail, but 00 Raiser teleported from sight again, and Megatron's weapon was quickly swinging at nothing. The Decepticon leader barked his disbelief as he withdrew the jagged chain and looked around restlessly. 00 Raiser was nowhere to be seen… yet.

"Show yourself, boy!" he bellowed.

A ruby-hued 00 Raiser glimmered back into the material realm, shooting repeatedly at Megatron's head. _He can be hurt… he can be damaged! I only need to get past that GN Field, and if I can trade blow for blow with that creature… I can topple him_! speculated Setsuna, greatly encouraged. "It ends here, Megatron!" he shouted, closing the gap between them. "Your fusion cannon won't help this time."

"Don't be so sure, child," declared Eventide. It gave a beastly grin. "A fusion cannon is one thing. But it is another to tap directly into the resources of your homeworld's sun, Sol. Veda has given me limitless power, and I have acquired the star-draining abilities of the fabled Sun Harvesters – within this one body!"

Megatron's greatsword withdrew into his forearm, and his fusion cannon suddenly disappeared. He spread his arms exultantly and clapped them together, and as one, they combined into one machine and elongated, transforming into a demonic cannon that was as long as his leg. It was a marvel that he could still hold himself upright. This new… _thing_ was a twisted appendage; studded with horns on its crown and covered with ornate hieroglyphs across its cylindrical form. Setsuna's eyes widened in confusion as a blinding light gathered at the tip of the rail cannon's barrel. The whining was deafening, and only Megatron's laughter could be heard over the unexpected drone. Saji screamed out a warning as an orb with the destructive power of a supernova correspondingly erupted from the Decepticon's secret weapon.

"Devour them,_ Duskbringer_!"

The shaft of pure antimatter tore towards 00 Raiser hungrily, and its pilot quickly steered away. But Megatron was not satisfied, and Duskbringer's ray shot upwards, chasing 00 Raiser with stunning speed and homing in on its lower body. It was too fast; even for a Gundam that had activated Trans-Am. Evasive manoeuvres were of the essence. Responding to Setsuna's desperation, 00 Raiser quantized and teleported away, shielded by GN Particles. But as it disappeared, the beam from Duskbringer winked out of sight as well.

"Do not delude yourself into believing you are safe. Because my weapon… can enter the quanta's realm, too!" cackled Megatron.

His optics glowed in delight as his systems processed the impact shuddering the ethereal plane. _How glorious_, he thought._ Surely they are writhing in agony now_.

He was not incorrect. Trapped in the luminous eternities, Setsuna and Saji screamed as the planets and particles were replaced by Duskbringer's ravenous fire. White light surrounded them, and 00 Raiser's right leg was engulfed and eventually swallowed in flames. The entire Mobile Suit shook, covered by its own purple smoke as it lurched away from the brilliance. For the first time, even this astral world was not safe. Struggling to move his hand, Setsuna recalibrated his coordinates feverishly, silently pleading for the particles to whisk them away. They obliged. Tumbling out of quantization, his creaking Gundam reappeared behind Eventide in space, burning and smoking. His head swam and his knees shook from Duskbringer's attack. Never had he experienced something like this before: a beam of antimatter that could not be physically restricted by any boundary. "Damn you, Megatron…" he rasped lividly, unable to coherently express his hatred and loathing for the Decepticon.

Eventide turned around smugly, separating its hands and withdrawing Duskbringer. "Do you see, fleshlings?" it said, displaying its claws again. "I am simply _superior_."

Setsuna clenched his teeth, feeling blessed to be alive. Another moment spent in that cannon's light would have meant his annihilation. "Saji, what's your status?" he asked tersely. His heart pounded noisily in his ears. "We can't give up."

Silence.

"Saji. Saji! Saji Crossroad!" Setsuna's heart sank, and his voice rose in concern as he opened a window to Saji's cockpit on his monitor. The Japanese-American had slumped in his seat, unconscious and unresponsive. Setsuna swore and turned his Mobile Suit around, but even he had no time to react as Megatron's fifteen Tyrant Fangs encircled him. Having cut away the fatigued Meister's retreat route, the cannons fired their solar flares simultaneously. Hit after direct hit rocked 00 Raiser, and Setsuna felt his lip trembling as he vomited blood. Gore splashed against the interior tektite of his helmet as his cockpit began to sputter and sizzle from the explosions outside. He couldn't move, even though his Mobile Suit was being tossed to and fro. He could barely think. Operation Galactic Symphony was falling apart. On its own, Eventide was matchless. It was mightier than Celestial Being's Gundams in every way. Megatron had rendered Veda his slave, and now they were paying the ultimate price.

"This… this monster's power…" croaked Setsuna helplessly, as his hands relaxed on his controls. Blood poured from his broken nose and it felt difficult to breathe.

"The power… of Gundam…"

A gentle blanket of darkness draped around him, smoothing down his drooping eyelids and liberating his gaze from the smiling Decepticon leader.

*

Amidst the defeated forms of 00 Raiser, Seravee, Arios, and GN Archer, Megatron raised his head, his two wicked spheres of vermillion light glowing. "From the highest heaven to the lowest hell, there are none that can withstand my power!" he bellowed in victory. He glanced at the severed head of Seravee and its detached GN Drive. "Salvation – and damnation – live on through my sword!"

Celestial Being's children had fallen around him. Even 00 Raiser was useless against him, although it had admittedly proven itself to be worthy of attention. The fact that his armour was actually dented impressed him already. Still, human beings were human beings, and not even their best could have hoped to match his strength.

_I am… almighty_!

He was about to indulge in another triumphant laugh when a yellow laser beam suddenly scraped past his left shoulder, searing part of his GN Drive. He turned, his optics narrowing. "Who dares to interrupt?" he demanded.

The sphere of Earth glimmered behind three approaching Mobile Suits. Their yellow, lime-green and jet-black forms contrasted jarringly with each other. The Autobot-Gundams had left the planet's orbit and, like shooting stars, were flying towards Megatron. "Anointed! Surya! Follow my lead," growled Ironhide. He clenched his fists and deployed his fission cannons, sparing nothing to topple Eventide. "I'll break apart that monster's face with my bare hands."

"Be careful, Bumblebee," said a resplendent Ratchet. "You can't use Trans-Am after deploying your Trial System, so keep yourself at a distance. Wear him down while we grapple with him." He turned his attention to Eventide, glaring at it thoughtfully. "It's been a long time, Megatron," he noted, activating his GN Chainsaw. "It seems we're disrupting your victory speech." Healing GN Particles flew around Anointed and shot towards the defeated Gundams of Celestial Being. Ratchet decided to stall for time. If he could hold back Eventide, perhaps Persephone would be able to retrieve Setsuna and the others.

"Autobots," hissed the Lord High Protector. He raised his forearm to block a nuclear missile from Ironhide, and the exploding warhead enveloped him in a titanic mushroom cloud. "I don't even need a GN Field!" barked the Decepticon, waving aside the smoke and debris scornfully. Ironhide was not deterred, firing another tactical missile at Megatron's armour before unleashing four ion orbs from his left launcher. A new GN Field radiated from Megatron's torso, enfolding him in a globe of protective particles. Surya fired several shots from its Solar Blaster before drawing its beam sabre, attempting to pin down Eventide. But Megatron was not amused by Bumblebee's antics. "Come here, you wretch," snapped Eventide, reaching for Surya, only to have its hand scorched by the yellow Gundam's beam sabre. Losing patience rather quickly, Megatron aimed his fusion cannon at Bumblebee's head, preparing to fire a fatal shot into the hero's helm.

"Not so fast," cried Ratchet. "_Trans-Am_!"

Anointed smashed its GN Chainsaw against Megatron's cannon, preventing the Decepticon from exploiting Surya's depleted particle levels. Anointed, on the other hand, had plenty left to spare. The screaming, spinning edge of its blade struggled against Megatron as the Decepticon withdrew his damaged cannon, revealing his converting GN Greatsword. The Gundams glared at each other as they pushed harder against the other. "You think yourself complete," breathed Ratchet, his crest glimmering, "but you only need to look around. Your followers have been defeated, and you are alone. Our friendship with Celestial Being is enough to match your will."

"Don't get arrogant," barked Megatron. "Celestial Being was nothing to me. I expected a better fight from its Meisters. Now that I've crushed them, I don't expect much from you, either."

His optics darted to his left as Bumblebee's beam sabre slashed against his shoulder. Anticipating another attack, Eventide grabbed the Autobot's neck with its arm, throttling Surya and smashing it against Anointed. He hurled his opponents back effortlessly. "You pitiful reprobates – surrender your sparks!!" bellowed the Decepticon, taking hold of Surya's struggling waist. Plunging his greatsword into Bumblebee's hip, he began to pull with his free hand, and Bumblebee screamed in agony as his body slowly but surely split apart. Shredded e-carbon tore itself from circuits and cables as Eventide halved the yellow Gundam with its bare hands. It tossed away its dangling legs and severed the remaining wires and filaments with its claws. Surya's optics slowly went dim. A tremor shook its upper body as it limply released its Solar Blaster and beam sabre.

"Bumblebee!" cried Ratchet.

"Pain is merely weakness leaving the body. _Trans-Am_!" roared Ironhide. Mahisha Gundam emanated a hellish crimson as it flexed its thick, bull arms. "You'll pay for what you've done, Megatron. And I'll be the one to collect your debt." Four more nuclear missiles, along with four ion blasts, were launched from Mahisha's GN Twin Fission Cannons. They imploded against Megatron's hastily triggered GN Field, and the Decepticon leader grunted at the rumbling impact. Encouraged, Mahisha intensified its barrage. "Ratchet! Now's our chance! Take him down."

Ratchet attempted to seize the moment, and he flew towards Eventide, lifting his GN Chainsaw to bear down on its head. _I have to land at least one blow on him_! thought the medic to himself. _I can't let him get past us… we're the final line of defence_!

Eventide's dual furnaces hummed with unlimited power, and aqua particles swirled around the reddening Mobile Suit. "If Trans-Am triples a Gundam's speed, strength, and firepower…" Megatron grinned, looking into the shocked faces of Ironhide and Ratchet. His Tyrant Fangs rose with him, and they were dyed in a bloody red. "_My_ Trans-Am… pushes my limits by _ten_ times."

In the single beat of a throbbing spark, Megatron's fusion cannon had blown apart Ironhide's fission launchers. In another nanosecond, his greatsword had plunged into Ratchet's abdomen, slicing horizontally and ripping away Anointed's GN Chainsaw. Wheezing, Ratchet attempted to grab onto Megatron, but Eventide simply disappeared behind him and bashed into Anointed's head with its GN Flail. Ironhide's optical sensors widened in agonized astonishment as the Fangs around him unleashed a hail of untraceable flares, cutting into him mercilessly. "This… this is impossible," he groaned, as Mahisha's legs were blown away. His arms were already hanging by his sides, their metal joints roughly snapped in two. "What… what could this fiendish power be?"

Megatron grinned. "_Trans-Am Rage_!!" he declared, tossing away Ironhide's arm. "An ability granted only to Eventide Gundam after many space-cycles in communion with Veda!" He stared at Anointed and Mahisha disdainfully. Their Trans-Am colours flickered and died away, departing from their mediocre husks of smouldering e-carbon. "But this is not enough, no. I grow impatient. This farce of a challenge is over." He spread his arms. "You never stood a chance."

Ironhide reeled as fifteen lasers punched cleanly through his body, and Ratchet folded as Eventide teleported before him, burying its claws into his abdomen. The distant stars glimmered helplessly, as if wishing but unable to help. The Autobot-Gundams fell silent as Megatron deactivated Trans-Am Rage, glancing at the Mobile Fortress Persephone in the distance. The cowards within dared not to challenge him – they were too busy protecting their Gundams and their defeated Meisters. Let them. He would savour this and use his Tyrant Fangs to overwhelm them, instead. "More humans flocking to their own slaughter!" he decided aloud, flexing his claws expectantly.

But then he paused. He could sense something on his system, and it was not a weak signal. Eventide turned to face two glimmers of light approaching from the east. Megatron recognized one of them instantly – it was a particularly powerful Gundam, one that shared the same Twin Drive System as his own and 00 Raiser's. Nestled in two of its six arms was the separated torso of a green-white Mobile Suit.

"How many times must I humiliate you, Optimus?" whispered the Lord High Protector, gazing at Bhagavan. It was approaching quickly; the final struggle for the universe was imminent. Surely a fitting welcome would be required. "I will finish you, and put an end to your coalition's pitiful resistance!"

Mahisha's trembling hand found Megatron's clawed foot. The black Gundam clutched the Decepticon's ankle desperately as the latter glanced down. "_No_!" roared Ironhide, his destroyed body suspended in space.

"_Such heroic nonsense_," dismissed Eventide gloatingly, and its emerging fusion cannon fired a direct shot into Ironhide's visual processors.

*

They were too late.

Prime released Cherudim in horror as he beheld the ruins of Celestial Being's assault force. 00 Raiser, Arios, GN Archer, and Seravee had all suffered grave damage, and the transmissions from the pilots inside were nonexistent.

"No," he whispered. His morose optics fell upon the wreckages of the Autobots, which trailed not too far behind. "Bumblebee. Ratchet. Ironhide!" he murmured urgently. His faithful soldiers floated in the vacuum of the solar system silently, their Gundams crackling and hissing as purple smoke streamed from various wounds across their bodies. Ironhide twitched helplessly, a ruined sensor dangling from his crushed head. His arms were broken and his legs scattered. The dismembered Ratchet groaned quietly, his GN Chainsaw severed in two as his solar furnace hummed weakly. Even his GN Healing would require time to restore his injuries. Surya had been torn in half, and the spark of Bumblebee was flickering in desperation as it struggled to warn Prime of another enemy. But Surya's systems were crippled to the point that none of its processors could function – they could barely wheeze out a word.

Lockon shook his head dazedly, staring at Bumblebee's pained, pitiable face. "This has to be some sick joke. This is bullshit!" he snarled suddenly, hands clenching. He shoved at his controls and looked into his display wildly, almost refusing to believe that he could have failed his friends so miserably. "This is ridiculous, _dammit_!"

"Who could have done this?" Prime raised his crested head, looking around briefly. The alliance had managed to destroy Nemesis; the Decepticon warship was nothing more than a hulking carapace hovering above Mars. The Alpha fleets had been evidently vanquished, and their scattered remains were evidence of this. But if the Decepticons weren't the victors, then who could have defeated so many amongst his coalition? None had been spared from the mysterious onslaught. The Ahead and Realdo forces that he had assigned to reinforce Celestial Being had vanished, leaving behind only their charred remains. Their mother vessels were also consumed by fire; unnatural fire.

"Look, Lyle!" whispered the Autobot leader, pointing at the immediate distance. To his great relief, Persephone seemed to have withstood the unknown onslaught. It was desperately firing a hail of missiles and lasers at several remote-controlled cannons. "The crew is still safe." He transmitted a message to the space cruiser. "This is Bhagavan Gundam. Come in, Leesa. Come in, Feldt. Is everyone all right?"

"Optimus!" came Sumeragi's relieved reply. "Oh, I am so glad you're here!"

"Optimus! Please, help us!" crackled Feldt's voice. "This enemy… is no ordinary enemy." Her words were thick with terror. "It's Megatron!"

Prime's spark flared at the dread name. "So it has begun. But it is sooner than I thought. He grew impatient with our strategies and struck out on his own," he whispered. Tracing the mysterious object that was commanding the Fangs, he turned around, sensing a presence of infinite evil. He could hardly believe his optical sensors as they fell upon a hulking Mobile Suit, a colossal equivalent of the Decepticon leader's original body. Blue and orange orbs met those of a fiery, burning red.

"Megatron!" exclaimed Prime, his voice rising.

"Optimus," reciprocated the Decepticon lord, baring his jagged teeth.

Prime's fists clenched. It really was him. After three hundred years, they crossed ancient paths once more, meeting again in the incarnations of Gundams. The archenemy of the Autobots began to laugh, as if to relish the exhilaration of it all. He did not care to stop Prime as the latter surreptitiously pushed Cherudim away. His attempts to protect his friends were laughable at any rate. "It has been too long!" declared Eventide. "Are you enjoying the gift of the GN Drives, Prime?"

Fate had reunited the brothers for a decisive confrontation. Their climatic encounter would determine the fate of Earth, Cybertron, and the galaxy itself. With this knowledge, Bhagavan Gundam raised its weapons and hurled himself at the multiversal despot. "That's enough distortion you've caused, Megatron! You must be stopped – no matter the cost."

*

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*

*

*

A/N: And so Transformers 00 reaches its culmination… I have tried to do justice to the legendary conflict between the Autobot and Decepticon commanders. Please enjoy the finale of my story. :)


	29. Chapter 28: The Choice of Heroes

_The end is near_!

Decepticon legions have taken a heavy toll on the weary defenders of the Earth-Sphere Federation. The Prime Coalition's forces have been stretched to breaking point, and the Lord High Protector himself, Megatron, has crossed over from Veda for his final victory. With time running out, the battered alliance's last hope to save the universe lies in a new, untested capability built into 00 Raiser, accessible only by a true Innovator with a pure heart of understanding.

This is the finale of the Earthen-Cybertronian War.

*

**Chapter 28: The Choice of Heroes**

Prime turned to face the furthermost region of the cold Milky Way, his spark flaring in rage at the sight of his defeated comrades. "That's enough destruction you've wreaked for an eternity, Megatron!" he bellowed. "Fight me!"

The silver-chrome Gundam raised its claws. "Brother. I must thank the humans, for they have at last glimpsed that zenith of perfection that can be realized through Veda. Alas, their frail fleshling shells have bound them to a lower plane of existence… irrevocably. They suffer from inferior capacities, for they cannot utilize Veda to its limits. But you and I… just look at these new bodies of ours, Optimus!" Megatron stared at his hand, positively awestruck. "The unity of Veda with the heritage of the All Spark… with our weaponry embedded into our bodies, we can bring forth order from chaos, or reduce creation to ashes. This is the power that can preserve or end the very omniverse. And now, we have obtained it!"

Prime's optics narrowed as he silently sent an encoded to Persephone via his bond with Veda. His reunion with the crew would have to wait. "Flee, all of you. Flee, and do not return. I won't let you say no."

"Optimus, please – "

But before Sumeragi could finish her desperate protest, he severed the connection.

_I love you, Leesa. You know that already, but I will never tire of telling you that_.

Yet he did not lift his angry gaze away from his dark counterpart. "You still have no intention of walking alongside the humans or Autobots? You still have no desire to walk beside me?" he asked.

"Humans are defective fleshlings that have stunted their own evolution in the name of retaining their pitiful organic features," insisted Megatron sternly. "Foolishly, you still place yourself in front of them, offering your body as a metallic shield for their unfit sacks of blood, ova, and sperm. Pathetic! Is there any more grievous insult to evolution than biological life? Is there any greater bane to the progress of the universe?"

A furious Prime raised his longsword and broadsword and crossed them in a gesture of defiance. "Your contempt for beings of flesh doesn't excuse you from the fact that you destroy everything you touch. Your hunger brought ruin to Cybertron many millennia ago. I won't let it consume any other planet!"

"You are right, Optimus. Everything I touch is food for my hunger. My hunger for _omnipotence_!"

"There is no such thing." Prime's deep voice rose to a growling crescendo. He pointed his battleaxe at Megatron. "I will protect Soran, Leesa, and all of the multiverse from your insatiable craving! Your reign of terror is over, now and forever."

Eventide rose higher, sneering. "An admirable display of compassion for the creatures of Earth, Optimus! Let your determination flow through your spark! You have an estimable willpower, and I shall be a worthy one to break it! Come, have at me. Come and cleave your weapons into me… if you dare to believe that you can ever touch the being that has transcended you."

GN Particles surrounded Prime, enveloping him in three pairs of unshaped celestial wings. His solar furnaces hummed in preparation as he gathered every ounce of his ancient strength for a final battle. "Bhagavan Gundam!"

Garbed in the armour of the sun, Megatron responded in sinister anticipation as he spread his massive, powerful claws. His spiked, autocratic flail emerged from his right forearm. "Eventide Gundam!"

Two noble, orange sparks ignited from Bhagavan's eyes. "Optimus Prime!"

A pair of angry red flames spat out from the dual abysses of Eventide Gundam, and its spark proclaimed its eminence. "Lord Megatron!"

The outstretched hand of comfort met the clenched fist of cruelty. A final struggle was about to betide two contradictory forces of nature. The Cybertronian Mobile Suits hurtled towards each other at breakneck speed, aqua-green particles spilling from their Twin Drives. "For all sentient beings!" roared Prime.

Megatron grinned wildly, baring his jagged teeth. For the first time in a long time, his voice was eerily quiet, although it simmered with an unequalled fervour. "With your death, my dominion shall be complete!"

*

Sumeragi slumped against her chair, unable to hold back her upset whimper. "Optimus cut off my transmission," she whispered, her lip quivering. "Why does he insist on shouldering our mistakes? He never deserved this."

Anew stared at her commander. "Ma'am… you're really worried for him, aren't you?"

Sumeragi smiled sadly and nodded.

"I don't want to sound like a prissy," offered Lasse, "but I'm done with losing anyone else. Tieria's dead, and the leaders of Katharon had their mothership blown to pieces." His eyes were sullen as he stared at the nearby wreckages of Celestial Being's Gundams. "We're lucky Megatron's toying with us. At least he's giving us time to regroup with the Meisters."

A massive, cataclysmic explosion suddenly blinded the weary crew of Persephone. Lasse swore, and Anew hastily steered away. The extraterrestrial eruption had occurred near the surface of Mars. "It… it's really them," said Sumeragi, as her team rubbed their eyes. "Optimus is fighting Megatron."

"Eventide has appeared on my radar, Ma'am!" reported Mileina. Her eyes widened. "Fifteen remote-controlled cannons have also come under my scanners! They're opening fire!"

"Bhagavan has come under heavy attack from Megatron's Gundam!" cried a horrified Feldt. Their main display opened up, zooming on the two Mobile Suits tussling against one another. "Optimus is in danger! I'm not sure if he can defeat Eventide by himself. So many of our pilots have already been incapacitated. And the Autobots – "

"We're going to assist him," demanded the tactical forecaster. "Provide heavy artillery fire and distract Eventide – "

"We can't," snapped Lasse. "We've suffered too many casualties. We need to protect what remains of our Mobile Suits. Tieria has entrusted us with Seravee's GN Drive. The Autobots need our assistance, too."

"But Optimus could die," protested Sumeragi shrilly, not bothering to conceal her deepest fears any longer. Anew looked at her commander in surprise. She had never seen her lose composure like this before. "At least bring the ship around. I can't leave him – "

"I know," said Lasse, "but look at what Eventide did to our space force in one battle. This is Prime's fight. It isn't ours to interfere in – we've done our part. We'll just get in his way. So sit back and hope for the best while we send out the Haros."

Ian's voice crackled into the tactical room. "Linda and I are in the repair bay, everyone. I'll get stuck into the repairs as quickly as I can. In the meantime, don't lose your pretty head, Leesa. A forecaster isn't supposed to make irrational decisions. Optimus can take care of himself."

Sumeragi nodded reluctantly and bit her lip as she stared out into the main display. What if the unimaginable happened? How could she possibly continue on if he gave his life for them? She would much rather suffer a tortuous death than live without his deep, loving voice and gentle, powerful presence. "Please… don't go anywhere I can't follow," she mumbled.

"Please let me protect you."

*

_This… this can't be over yet…_

_As long as my GN Drives are still functioning… I can fight_!

Setsuna's finger twitched inside 00 Raiser. After several breathless seconds, he stirred in earnest when he heard the distant, echoing rumbling of ancient deities. His shoulders shook slightly as he gasped for air. His chest warmed in relief. So he wasn't dead yet. He could still help. His eyelids fluttered open, and his pupils focused on his cockpit's central monitor. "Optimus?" he said softly, spitting out traces of excess blood. "Where are you?"

He shook away his grogginess, remembering the rout Celestial Being had suffered at Eventide's hands. But it was far too early to concede defeat – he would never give up. But like Arios, GN Archer, and Seravee, his Gundam was motionless and heavily damaged. "Allelujah… Marie… Tieria." He clenched his teeth as his radar detected three hovering bodies beyond Persephone. The Autobot-Gundams had evidently attempted to intercept Megatron, but they met with failure, as well. Setsuna warily broadcasted a signal to the Mobile Suits of Ironhide, Ratchet and Bumblebee, but they did not respond.

"I will avenge you. I will avenge every single one of you," he growled to himself. But the lump in the back of his throat expanded as he recalled his co-pilot's dire injuries. "Saji. Saji!" he cried. "Are you awake? Are you alright? Answer me!"

A surge of relief entered him as the Japanese-American began to groan inside the cabin of 0 Raiser. "Set… Setsuna."

Setsuna could not help a smile. "I'm relieved. I would never forgive myself if…"

"Megatron caught us off-guard," grunted Saji, recovering from his coma slightly. He jerked in pain; he could feel the cartilage above his nostrils reduced to a pulp. His body barely responded to his most basic commands. "We failed… I failed…"

"Not yet. Nothing is set in stone. I will strike back," encouraged Setsuna. "But you don't sound like you're in shape to fight," he admitted. "Your voice… it sounds strained. Your nose is broken, isn't it?"

"I… I think so," came Saji's honest reply. "And my arm… it's bent at this awkward angle. I'm so sorry, Setsuna. I feel weak. I'm not sure if I'm going to be useful anymore."

The Meister nodded, respecting Saji's unique situation. He was a civilian who had joined a momentous battle out of his own volition. He had done more than what Celestial Being could ask of him. Setsuna had sworn to himself that he would ensure Saji's safety, so that he could live his life with Louise in a new world. He owed it to him. "Then retreat back to Persephone. I've said so before – your fight doesn't need to continue any longer. I can handle things from hereon by myself. I'll go and help Optimus." He activated his transmitter. "Feldt, please have the Haros retrieve Saji. I need them to escort him safely into our ship."

"Copy that, Setsuna. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

As Saji ejected from his cockpit and floated towards the waiting Mobile Fortress, Setsuna pushed his primary clutch forward. The Twin Drives of 00 Gundam whirred back to life again, strengthened by 0 Raiser's stabilizers. Particles diffused throughout the vacuum of space once more.

"This isn't over, Megatron," he muttered to himself.

*

Prime struggled to meet Eventide's fiendish strength as his polesword and beam sabre screeched against the Decepticon lord's massive, deadly flail. His six arms buckled against the force of one._ His power… is unbelievable_! he thought to himself wildly._ This must be the potential that Veda saw in him. And he was rewarded accordingly_!

"What's the matter, brother? Are you feeling my weight? You've grown soft – if that was ever possible for supreme beings like us! What happened to your training? What happened to the perfection of your military arts?" Megatron sneered and leaned forward, his optics burning into Prime's. "You always were the weaker one."

Eventide gave a brutal shove, and Bhagavan was forced back. "Tyrant Fangs!" roared Megatron, and the necromantic Gundam's remaining fifteen cannons uncloaked themselves. They dispersed their formation and screamed around Bhagavan, shooting at Optimus relentlessly with a combination of fusion lasers and solar beams. In response to the matrix of devastating power, Bhagavan's GN Field activated, and Prime hurtled upwards, moving quickly to dispose of the dangerous Fangs. Megatron had made a mistake – the cannons could not succeed in overwhelming Prime, not while his GN Field protected him. Bhagavan quickly carved four of the capsules into eight halves and demolished a nearby quintet with his battleaxe. He swung his polesword in a wide arc above his head, halting the incessant crimson lasers from another five pods. Prime completed his defence by cleaving apart the last beam cannon with his beam sabre.

"Tricks you learned from Veda? I thought you were made of sterner stuff."

Megatron laughed. "So you have bested my Fangs. What of it?"

His right arm quickly converted into Eventide's massive greatsword, snapping into position and pointing its deadly tip at Prime's chest. Twin Drives droning, Eventide shot upwards and thrust its blade against Bhagavan's emerald forcefield. They struggled briefly, but as their weapons continued to shove at each other, Eventide slowly began to force Bhagavan back. To Prime's astonishment, a giant hole began to tear open below him as Megatron's e-carbon sword forced itself past the concentrated particles. For the first time since the battle at Lagrange 2, his GN Field failed him. His optics widened incredulously as Megatron ran his leg through and impaled his knee, disabling it for good. As the forcefield around Bhagavan began to flicker, Eventide's standard fusion cannon slid upwards, pushing against Prime's trunk. It fired, and the Autobot-Gundam roared in pain, enveloped in fire and lavender smoke. Megatron grinned as his optics fell on Prime's crackling, punctured metal. He seized advantage of his trauma and bashed away his beam sabre with a violent backhand.

"Now, you're mine!" he bellowed, raising his spindly claws.

Despite the sparks that hissed from the wounds on his arms, back and shoulders, Prime recovered quickly. His hands clenched tighter around his weapons as he bashed his warhammer against Eventide's leg, crushing it inwards. He skewered the speartip of his battleaxe into Megatron's stomach, and the latter shrieked in fury as his greatsword rammed against the axe's thick edge. He raised his fist, swinging down and breaking Megatron's metal cheek with his knuckles.

Recovering, the staggering Eventide turned around, bellowing for reprisal.

"I do not understand," roared the Autobot leader, deftly parrying Megatron's retaliation with his GN Longsword. "After our war on Earth, you should have broken free from The Fallen's control. Yet you still persist in your quest for universal conquest?"

"I have spelled out my intentions to you many times before," snarled Megatron. His greatsword suddenly surged upwards, slicing past Bhagavan's torso and flaying open another painful lesion. Prime grunted as his chest exploded, shattering his majestic Cybertronian breastplates. Megatron slashed at him again with his free hand, but Prime blocked his claws with two arms. "This cosmos must be cleansed of the plague that is organic life!"

"Life is not a disease!" Bhagavan riposted, bashing its GN Warhammer into Megatron's flank. Eventide reeled, but retaliated by stabbing its long claws into Prime's shoulders, partially crushing his silver armour. They glared at each other as scorching sparks flew from their locked blades and barrels. "All beings are worthy of protection and nurture."

"Have you become so infatuated with this illusion?" shrieked Megatron, lurching from another punch to his deathly face. But he did not release Prime, digging deeper into him with his e-carbon talons. "Even the most basic of biological organisms are born from bacteria, from foul viruses that only metallic beings are immune to. I cannot believe that you can still love fleshlings when their very nature is impure!"

"I cherish every beating heart… and every pulsing spark! Is coexistence so difficult for you to accept?" cried Prime. His GN Longsword was promptly tossed away, along with his GN Warhammer. Blow by blow, their struggle was reaching an unexpected crescendo. The two combatants had inflicted serious damage on each other's Mobile Suits. But for Prime, Eventide was still too strong. He wheezed in trauma as his unwavering adversary pulled back his spiked flail and smashed it against his abdomen. He felt his life slipping away with every injury that was inflicted upon his already exhausted body.

_What about the rest of my friends_? He glanced behind him, and glimpsed Persephone in the distance. He allowed himself a small smile, despite the crippling damage Bhagavan had suffered. _So the others have made contact with Leesa. They are safe for now._

_I am glad_.

Prime turned back to his onetime comrade, greatly disappointed at the tragedy of it all. "I once admired you, Megatron. Like the rest of our kind, I looked up to you as the final line of defence for Cybertron." His hand grabbed Megatron's wrist forcefully. Conviction brightened the glow in his visual sensors. "But your corruption made you abandon your responsibility! You gave in to your fear! And you've never confronted that weakness honestly, not once in the thousands of years we've fought!"

"Do not look down on me!" roared Megatron, angered by Prime's appeal to his stern but once noble character. "I _still_ hold the salvation to our homeworld! Nothing has changed, save your laughable fetish for flesh-creatures!"

As if to accentuate his intense umbrage, he clapped his hands together, summoning Eventide's Duskbringer Fusion Cannon. It emerged as his arms fused and transformed, targeting Prime's robotic plexus. The latter's broadsword stabbed into Duskbringer's barrel, but it continued to gather energy, whining loudly even as Bhagavan thrust its weapon deeper into Eventide's left arm.

"It's too late for you," whispered Megatron. A sphere of macabre illumination engulfed the two Mobile Suits. "Nothing you try will make a difference now. Disappear, and begone from my sight."

A mighty ray of fusion particles erupted from Duskbringer, burning into Prime with the force of a dying star. A deafening rumble tore through him, and his upper body collapsed, ablaze. Three of his arms slackened involuntarily, releasing his last weapon – his GN Broadsword. He groaned in shock, heaving in agony at the rupture that blew away a third of his body. This pain was incomparable to anything he had suffered before. It was as if the very cosmos was alight inside him. The roaring inferno continued to smoulder, and lavender fumes streamed from his trembling limbs. Bhagavan's GN Drives sputtered and it slowly crumpled, slumping against Eventide's skeletal shoulderplate. "No," moaned the defeated Prime.

In a paradoxical act of malice and mercy, Megatron caught his onetime associate in his arms, preventing him from plummeting into the infinite void. He sneered as he glimpsed the advancing Persephone from the corner of his optic. Slowly and ecstatically, he lifted Prime's head with one hand, forcing him to observe the starship.

"Your children have arrived. Why don't you welcome them?" he mocked.

The Autobot leader glared wordlessly at Megatron, unable to even pull away.

"Optimus!" cried Feldt. "His signal on my radar…!" She covered her mouth with her trembling hands as Mileina let out a choked squeak. Lasse roared his rage, his scarred eye twitching. Sumeragi went pale, stunned into speechlessness. As one, the crew stared up into the main display, watching helplessly as the opalescent glow in Prime's optics finally wavered. The dread Decepticon proudly reached out with his free hand and harpooned it into Bhagavan's ruined torso, ripping into its Cybertronian interior. "I would have waited an eternity for this moment!" crowed Eventide, twisting further into its archenemy's trunk. "It's over, Optimus!" The Decepticon-Gundam plunged his claws even deeper into Prime's eviscerated form, howling in victory as he finally discovered his withering spark. In one vicious gesture, he wrapped his claws around the orb of light and crushed it, smothering the glittering brilliance with his cold, wicked hand.

The Meisters were safe, but they had paid a price that Sumeragi could not bear to suffer. "Op – Optimus?" she stuttered in disbelief. The walls of Persephone seemed to wobble around her. Her body suddenly felt cold, as if warning her that something catastrophic was about to befall Celestial Being. The wave of icy distress was overpowering, and for several moments, she didn't notice a glimmer of light materializing on Persephone's radar screen. It was 00 Raiser, and its pilot's eyes were wild with rage. The Innovator had caught up to Prime, but Megatron had other plans. He seized Bhagavan by the shoulder with one arm and by the hip with another, and with supernatural strength, he raised the subdued Mobile Suit high above his head.

"_NO_!" screamed Setsuna in protest. His head spun in panic. _I… have to stop him_!

Suspended by force, Prime turned his shattered head around weakly, his gaze meeting that of a terrified young boy's. "S… Soran," he groaned. "You… you weren't… supposed to see this…"

Setsuna furiously accelerated his Gundam, seeing red. He wanted to murder Megatron. He wanted to break open his despicable face, to desecrate and vandalize his metallic corpse. Surely this was a twisted nightmare, some sick reality where even a sturdy lamp's flame could not endure the infinitely cold wind. But the Kurdish Innovator's all-too-human desperation wouldn't be enough. Smirking, Megatron let out a bellow and flung down his hands, hurling the limp Autobot-Gundam towards the planet of Mars. Before Setsuna could react, the dying Prime was already shooting through an asteroid belt, crashing into several dozen floating rocks before continuing to plummet down, hundreds of thousands of miles away. His burning body punched past the atmosphere of the red globe, approaching the mouth of an extinct volcano. He finally slammed face-first into the edge of the massive crater, and a planet-shaking explosion rippled from the impact, clearly visible even in space.

Megatron glared at 00 Raiser, into the cockpit display of a trembling Setsuna. "You are not afraid. I must admit my grudging admiration," said Eventide. "You shake not with terror, but with an unconquerable will for merciless revenge. That is respectable, but foolhardy when directed against me."

"Full speed ahead!" screamed Sumeragi suddenly. "Hurry!" The GN Particles from Persephone doubled in number as her crew made a desperate attempt to break past Megatron and save Earth's last champion. "It's going to be alright, Optimus… it'll be alright!" cried the forecaster, leaning forward and staring into the main display at the twitching Autobot-Gundam, who languished on the barren, baking soil. He was the giver of meaning, the provider of the happiness she had slowly pieced back together. He had restored her faith in Celestial Being. He had swept away her insecurities and helped her to overcome her failures. He was the reason that she stood firm in her fight. She owed him everything. She would not let him leave her, not until she repaid that debt. "Hold on. I'll save you!"

Prime moaned, pushing a wobbly palm against the sand and rocks. Supported by his broken knee joints, he gradually heaved himself back to an upright position. His GN Drives were shattered, and particles spilled out freely from them. He forced himself to stand as the vestiges of his strength dissipated. His torso was blown away and his spark was on the brink of extinguishment. Having struggled up from the ochre earth, his six hands fell to his sides in relief. "It's going to be alright. Everything will be alright," he repeated quietly, as Bhagavan's crushed armour sizzled and crackled, about to implode completely. His helm was almost hanging off his shoulders. His Gundam crest had snapped and his faceplate was bashed inwards. "Commander… Sumeragi Lee Noriega. The honour was all mine." He bowed his head. "Find a stronger companion for yourself."

"No one's stronger than you! Don't join Emilio and abandon me! That's an order, I command you!" choked Sumeragi, her composure shattering completely. She began to sob, but she didn't realize it yet. "You're my friend – my best friend! I won't _let_ you go."

He didn't reply, not wanting to break her heart any further. He smiled up at the glimmering particles of Persephone, silently begging for her forgiveness. His coruscating optics closed in serene repose as his deteriorating body lurched towards the deep, yawning crater. Never would he give Megatron the satisfaction of looking upon his defeated form. _I'm sorry, Soran_, he thought regretfully._ Now you must overthrow that monster on your own_.

As he heard Setsuna screaming his name, he murmured out his final words, unable to smother the sadness in his voice.

"Until… all are one."

Sumeragi couldn't hear her wail of anguish as the Autobot leader sighed wearily. Forgetting the presence of Feldt and the others, she stretched out a terrified hand for him, begging him to take it. But it was a delusional wish. All she could see was his ruined body, which relaxed and entered permanent stasis-lock. It lingered in sight for what seemed like a horrendous aeon… before toppling into the crater and disappearing completely. A thunderous _boom_ rocked the planet again, and an inferno of fire and smoke rose upwards from the mouth of the caldera. But apart from that morbid image, the surface of Mars quickly fell back into a sinister silence. Only Leesa Kujo's inconsolable weeping could be heard amidst the frequencies of the allies.

Anew's crimson eyes welled with tears, and Mileina fell silent, utterly staggered. Lasse slouched miserably, his fiery aura doused. "What the hell just happened down there?" came Ian's dumbfounded transmission.

"Optimus Prime…" gasped Linda. "This is impossible!"

Slumping on the bed inside her room, Marina sensed the massive shockwave reverberating throughout the quantum plane. She raised her head, midnight blue irises shining. "You brought us together, only to depart from us?" she whispered.

Drifting aimlessly above Mars, the functional half of Surya Gundam stirred. It raised its head weakly, a surge of fear coursing through its database. "S… sir?" mumbled Bumblebee feebly.

Thanks to his GN Healing, Ratchet had managed to recover slightly, regaining some semblance of vitality in his systems. But now, he lowered his broken chainsaw, devastated. His optics closed in resignation. "It appears that our valour… can only take us so far," he conceded.

"No!" bellowed Mahisha, struggling to reattach its ruined arm. Its crested cranium had been split open, but that didn't stop it from rebuking Prime. "You fool, Optimus. This can't have happened to you!" Ironhide continued to rave, unable to come to terms with the death of his leader. "_You can't fall here_!!"

"Megatron… he has murdered the Prime again." Jetfire's ancient spark flickered inside Persephone's hangar. "And I could do nothing… to stop him."

Allelujah felt the rolling impact of Bhagavan's body echoing through the solar system. His eyes betrayed his utter confusion. The angry, injured groans of Hallelujah had receded into his unconscious, and all that remained behind was disorientation and misery. "This… this can't be," he stammered.

Inside her drifting Mobile Unit, Marie cried quietly to herself as Lockon raised his head within the destroyed Cherudim, blinking away his shock. "You… you can't be serious," he muttered to himself. He slumped in defeat, clenching his teeth.

"You're… a pathetic man, Lyle Dylandy. Is this… the extent of your resolve?"

Setsuna trembled. Tears streamed down his glistening, chestnut eyes. _Optimus_…

He screamed, his fists crashing into his controls. His howl rang throughout the solar system, melding with Sumeragi's heartbroken grieving and Megatron's laughter.

"_Optimus_!!"

*

*

*

*

*

A/N: It is my pleasure to introduce the final, and most powerful, Gundam of TF 00 – Megatron's Eventide Gundam.

**Megatron: DECP-04 Eventide Gundam**

Model Number: DECP-04

Unit Type: Veda-Cybertronian field dominance MS

Launched: Anno Domini 2312

Manufacturer: None

Operator: Veda/Megatron

Known Pilot: Megatron

Overall Height: 24 metres

Weight: Unknown

Power Plant: Twin Drive System

Accommodation: Spark located in centre of Gundam torso

Armour material: Cybertronian e-carbon

Armaments: GN Greatsword, GN Tyrant Fangs x20, GN Flail, Fusion Cannon, Duskbringer Fusion Cannon

Special Equipments and Features: Super GN Field, upgrade Trans-Am System (Trans-Am Rage)

Alternate mode: Unknown

Name: Derived from a poetic, Old English word for "evening."

Overview: The most terrifying Transformer-Gundam to ever traverse the cosmos, Eventide is unrivalled in any field of Mobile Suit combat. It possesses a massive arsenal of devastating weapons for multi-purpose warfare.

Apart from its deadly claws, Eventide has two melee weapons: its GN Greatsword and GN Flail, both of which surpass all other close-range armaments in sheer destructive capability. The GN Greatsword is a sturdy blade with overpowering size and strength, and the unpredictable GN Flail tears apart e-carbon like tissue. Eventide therefore easily surpasses the melee capabilities of 00 Raiser and Bhagavan.

The enhancements made to Megatron's systems are also immense: Eventide's GN Field is on a level that surpasses even Bhagavan's, and can block all forms of projectiles with little difficulty. Its Trans-Am System has also been upgraded: through technology assimilation, Megatron has acquired the Trans-Am Rage, which amplifies his speed, strength and firepower to ten times its usual potency, allowing him to outfight any Mobile Suit in existence. To the untrained eye or optic, Eventide's movements seem to outpace the speed of light itself.

Eventide boasts an all-purpose long-range armoury. Its Tyrant Fangs, uniquely built with cloaking capabilities, provide tactical field dominance with their payload of solar flares and fusion lasers. And aside from its upgraded fusion cannon, Eventide's most terrifying weapon is the Duskbringer, a cannon formed by fusing its arms together to form a massive railgun. It packs the firepower of an entire supernova and cannot be restricted in any sense of the word. It fires a homing beam that can attack even those in the quantum realm. Its flames erase all but the sturdiest Gundams from existence, burning them away in cosmic fire.

Megatron deployed Eventide Gundam at the end of Chapter 26 as the final phase of his conquest, although the name of the Gundam was not known until Chapter 27. It took swift revenge for the destruction of Nemesis by annihilating the entire Prime Coalition's space fleet, before defeating 00 Raiser, Arios, GN Archer, and Seravee. It proceeded to crush Surya, Anointed and Mahisha's counterattack, vanquishing seven Gundams single-handedly. Finally in Chapter 28, it defeated Earth's final defender, Optimus Prime, and hurled a broken Bhagavan into a volcano on Mars, extinguishing the spark of Megatron's nemesis at last.

Can anything stop this force of supreme power?


	30. Chapter 29: Setsuna F Seiei

The Primes were the first beings and lords of Cybertron. Their prehistoric lineage is formally known as the Dynasty of Primes, and their last surviving descendant is the Autobot leader, Optimus. Their wisdom and powers were inconceivable, to the extent that they required entire stars to fulfil their primeval needs. The All Spark created the first Transformers to serve the Primes and satiate their hunger. The eldest of these robots, the Seekers, were to hunt down suns scattered across the realities, and the younger builders were to build Solar Harvesters that would siphon away the sun's energy. But despite this sinister premise, the Primes believed that all life was sacred. They refused to harvest stars with worlds inhabited by sentient races. Because of its benevolence, the Dynasty was eventually betrayed by one of its own, the traitor who would come to be known as The Fallen.

Although they entombed their own bodies many millennia ago, their presence lives on. Their spirits dwell in an astral plane of unsurpassable beauty and tranquillity, observing the countless sentient beings that hold the potential of bearing their Matrix of Leadership. Legend holds that they will appear to individuals that have impressed them with their courage, self-sacrifice, and virtue. If the Dynasty decides that someone has displayed the qualities of a true champion and earned the honour of using the Matrix, then the Primes will bestow unimaginable power upon them…

– "The Vision of the Dynasty," from hieroglyphics on the Pyramid of Khufu

*

**Chapter 29: Setsuna F. Seiei**

A distraught Sumeragi Lee Noriega wailed hysterically, beating her forehead repeatedly against her palms. The tactical forecaster cried out Optimus Prime's name again and again, shaking with lamentation and anger at his disloyalty. He had violated her trust – surely there was no other way to explain the despair and betrayal stabbing into her heart. _He lied to me – he swore to return alive_! "You promised to return to my side, to guide us into space and watch over us forever. But now you've forsaken me instead. Do you hate us this much? Don't you want to hold me in your hand? How could you do this to me?" She let out a low moan again, sobbing into her hands. "Answer me, Optimus!"

But the desired response never came. He really was gone. Her best friend, her darling Autobot, was gone.

_I've failed him. Just like I failed Emilio_. Never had she wept in the midst of a battle, let alone so uncontrollably. But this time, it had come so… naturally. Tears rolled down her face as she realized that Prime physically would not be able to return to her hangar bay. Years of remorse, guilt, and uncertainty boiled within her insides, twisting her stomach into an unyielding knot. His gentle affirmations of her worth and capabilities were swept away in a torrent of self-disgust and helpless rage at her imagined incompetence.

_You were wrong, Optimus. I am unlovable; I'm not worth it. I was never good enough. Just by being around me, those I care for get hurt. Everyone would be better off without me_.

_What's the point in fighting anymore? It doesn't make any sense to struggle without you to guide me. I don't want victory anymore; I want you_ –

"Ma'am!" reported a tearful Anew. "Eventide is preparing for another assault! Perhaps we could attack it before…"

"Ma'am, our tactical advantage is close to nil with the forces we have," cried Feldt. "I can send out 0 Gundam and Lasse can pilot, but it won't stand a chance against Megatron at any rate. Should we commence another bombardment against Eventide? We need your orders, and fast!"

For once, Sumeragi gave no coherent answer. Instead, she continued to sob, unable to look at her crewmembers in the eye. She was much too ashamed.

"There isn't much time left. We need orders!" roared Lasse. He turned around to look at his commander, infuriated. "This battle's still an open question. Until Megatron dies – or until we're blown apart – this fight is far from over, and you know it! So stop your self-indulgent heartache and pull yourself together, Sumeragi Lee Noriega!!"

"Al… alright. If you really want me to give you your last orders… then I won't ask for much."

Quivering, Sumeragi slowly raised her damp olive eyes, which were infused with an unappeasable fury and hatred. "_Destroy that Decepticon_!" she cried, staring directly into Persephone's main screen, which was displaying the smug, laughing face of Megatron. "Obliterate him with everything our Mobile Fortress can throw at him! I want him reduced to cosmic dust!"

"Yes, Ma'am!" cried an obliging Mileina, her furious fingers punching in the controls for an unmitigated assault on Megatron. At Sumeragi's broken-hearted command, Persephone unleashed its full barrage of weapons – cannons, laser turrets, missile launchers, and flak guns. They vomited their projectiles in the direction of Prime's murderer. Eventide hurtled upwards in response, spreading its arms in triumph. At last, its conquest was complete. After so many millennia, Megatron's birthright had been realized through the power of a Gundam. Truly, there was no limit to Veda – this was the Lord High Protector's testimony! Even the fabled Dynasty of Primes wouldn't be able to stop him now!

A long time ago, it was assumed that the Primes were the single most powerful force in the universe. But that era had died. It was the age of Gundams, and with the Gundams came endless possibilities for infinite omnipotence. As if to demonstrate this point, Megatron casually raised his hand, smirking.

"Pitiful!"

He combined his arms to form Duskbringer, shooting with otherworldly precision at the plasma, lasers, and explosives that showered on him like a meteor shower. The intelligent beams of antimatter systematically picked off the missiles before swallowing the lasers that attempted to reach Eventide. They shot towards Persephone's port, slamming into the side face of the cruiser, and the black ship shuddered dangerously. Human desperation was truly a perplexing thing. How could a Mobile Fortress possibly pose a threat to him?

He shook in cruel mirth again, refocusing his attention on 00 Raiser. "You still interest me, fleshling," he declared, remembering the hateful gaze of Setsuna. The sight of that boy's implacable countenance was imprinted onto his database. "Admittedly, you were stronger than I expected. I cannot help but respect that. And for that, you deserve a swift, noble death." With those menacing words, he shot away, promptly forgetting about the starship behind him. He never even bothered to take Persephone seriously.

"Fire the next volley," cried Sumeragi, heedless of Eventide's unwitting mercy. "I don't care how long it takes, or how much firepower we need!" She gritted her teeth, unsatisfied. Until Megatron was dead, she would not rest. She would not give up until he joined his archenemy in stasis lock, silent and broken.

She would avenge her Prime.

"Ma'am Sumeragi…" Despite the anger she felt against the Decepticon leader, Feldt felt her eyes moistening at her commander's pure woe. "I have to question… if this is how Optimus would want you to feel." Sumeragi stared up at the pink-haired woman, who was doing her best not to cry and keep her composure in the face of almost certain defeat. "He loved you. He wouldn't want you to feel so… cheated?" she finished, her voice an unsure squeak, afraid that she might have spoken out of line as a subordinate. But Sumeragi's red eyes and tear-stained cheeks were too much for her to bear.

"I… I know," moaned the commander, her shoulders heaving as she regained herself slightly. "He… he would be disappointed in me if he saw this wreck of a human being."

If anything had been learned from this tragedy, it was that the path to liberation did not and could not begin from revenge. It could only begin from healing.

But how could mere human beings heal the dead?

*

Setsuna trembled in the seat of his cockpit, shoulders shuddering as he remembered the gentle, kind face of his Autobot companion. Over and over again, he saw the mourning Autobots, floating helplessly in the cold expanse of space, crushed and dishonoured. How could he have failed his friends like this? Even the other Meisters cursed themselves for their powerlessness in the face of Megatron's awesome power.

"Optimus… Prime…"

He remembered their first exchange. When they met in the hangar of Ptolemaios, Prime had said in Arabic, "_Peace be upon you, human child. You have suffered so much_." It was a moment as profound as his first encounter with the original 0 Gundam. He had felt so shocked to see an otherworldly being that could understand him so effortlessly and so genuinely. Over time, they had grown even closer, discovering latent quantization abilities within each other… powers that they could share. Setsuna's growth into a bio-terminal – into a transhuman Innovator – had been accelerated and complemented by Prime's robotic system. 00 Raiser's GN Particles, Trans-Am Raiser… It had all come to a head when Setsuna could actually dwell in the same quantum realm as Optimus at will. After Celestial Being's triumphant seizure of Veda, human, Gundam, and Autobot had become one. Fate had intended something special for them.

That wasn't all. Each and every one of the Autobots had brought with them a gift that had enriched and strengthened Celestial Being. No longer was their organization a tool for world unity, to be discarded the moment Schenberg's objective was achieved. It had become the vessel for the dialogues, the welcomer of alien life… the Autobots. With their guidance, Earth would know true peace and explore space without the impulse to react in fear, ignorance, or prejudice. A world without the perpetual threat of the Decepticons: that was how it was meant to be.

_Even Optimus's life has been extinguished, along with the millions that have already faded from Earth's memory… but Megatron still won't be satisfied. He won't stop killing, _thought Setsuna wildly to himself._ This isn't a matter of conquest anymore. He won't spare any of us. He'll choke away every pulsing throat and smother every fluttering heart until… until_…

His clammy hands shook. He raised his head to look up, tears falling from his eyelashes. His pupils focused and his irises blazed brilliantly, igniting in a golden-yellow vividness. His voice was an angry, inconsolable scream.

"Do you really think… I'm going to let that happen?!"

His heart felt as if it would explode in panic. Dread coursed through his veins and ignited his mind with quanta. In the span of a nanosecond, they gathered within his brain and diffused, opening up an astral plane of unparalleled splendour before him. A glimmering sun suddenly replaced the lonesome eddy of outer space, and high above his head wafted strange, fluffy clouds. The gentle, scintillant sky was partially obscured by uncanny obelisks and rocks. These pillars rose from the ground alongside slanted, metal stalagmites. It was as if he had unintentionally intruded on the religious sanctum of a forgotten civilization.

_Where am I_?

Any normal human being would have screamed in terror at the unexpected vision, but Setsuna was never a normal human being, if he could be called one any longer. For a moment, he caught himself in the midst of his desolation, unsure of the… _reality_ of the infinite morningtide. GN Particles fell around him like snow and kissed the soft, comfortable earth. He felt compelled to fall silent, staring into the obelisks that yawned up before him, surrounded by holy incense and scented mist. Even through his helmet, he could smell the fragrance, as lovely as bountiful offerings offered to the gods.

_Gods_?

Setsuna paused, understanding the reason for his intuition. This pleasantly bright realm was not a physical place. It was a dimension that only his unique, Innovator mind could access. Through GN Particles and quantum processing, his eyes could glimpse a different plane, one that had always been present everywhere, but was veiled from the sights of the unenlightened.

This was the spirit realm of prehistoric Cybertron.

Echoes of deep, slow chanting rang tranquilly around the fane, and hieroglyphs could be seen engraved on each diamond column jutting above the fog. They proclaimed only one mantra, one hymn:

"_Homage to the Dynasty of Primes_."

Setsuna gasped. He was looking upon the resting place of the first, superdimensional beings of Cybertron.

Was he delusional? Were his fantasies driving him into insanity? "But I… I don't believe in God anymore, Marina," he mumbled incoherently to himself.

"_Yet you have come willingly, wishing to commune with us. And so we have brought you here_," boomed a council of six robotic voices.

Setsuna's heart skipped a beat. Neither coming nor going anywhere, their deep cadences were ringing throughout the glowing paradise. "Where… where are you?" he called. "Who are you?"

As the Kurdish pilot's revelation intensified, titanic figures emerged from the backdrop of the ethereal clouds – Cybertronian figures enswathed by particles from 00 Raiser. Their forms were far older than even the most ancient Transformers, for the latter were initially created to serve them. They were frightening in their appearance: their exo-skeletal structures resembled giant, metallic cadavers, and their jagged physiques were aglow with the energies of supernovae and black holes, the most powerful energies in all creation. Their elongated fingers and claws trailed across the smaller pillars that were erected in their name. Several among the six clutched large staffs and sceptres of their sacred office. Their dark, toed feet pressed against the ethereal soil. Their alien heads resembled those of demonic pharaohs, and their glowing, hellish optical sensors exuded a primordial, fearsome majesty.

These were the true rulers of Cybertron. Such was their limitless power that their only sustenance, Energon, could be harvested by consuming stars. However, the cosmic lords lived by a code of honour: to refrain from devouring any suns that provided life to worlds. Millennia after the betrayal by their traitorous brother, the lineage's compassion was passed down to the current and last Prime: Optimus. It was this compassion that sustained the heritage of the Transformers and the six benign Primes.

But even now, Optimus was dead. The last of Cybertron's masters had breathed his last on the planet of Mars. Only one possible saviour remained to prevent, or at least delay, the destruction of the universe.

The spirits of the Dynasty once came for Sam Witwicky. Three centuries after the defeat of The Fallen, they disclosed their presence again: this time, to Soran Ibrahim.

*

"_A worthy one has appeared. Look upon him. He beholds us now like a young child. He can see our faces through the particles of his Mobile Suit. Surely a sentient being that can see our spirits can be nothing less than the one we agreed to select…"_

"_We of the Dynasty refused to consume the sun Sol because of its inhabitants. We venerated the holiness of life. And over so many millennia, we continued to guide humans and Cybertronians to each other. We have brought the child along this path, too. We directed him to Optimus, and Optimus to him. Together, their powers can recover what has been lost. It was meant to be – Soran and Optimus were fated to heal the universe!"_

"_Optimus is the last of our lineage, and now he has died. But no being can ever become a Prime – they must be born one. Neither our traitor brother nor Megatron learned this and were therefore destined to fail. I look upon you, Soran Ibrahim, and I see nothing less than a courageous human that has earned the responsibility of true leadership… of what you call Innovation. You have proven yourself worthy of bringing Optimus back to a universe that desperately needs a Prime's guidance."_

"_We have reached a consensus, and the verdict has been decided. We have chosen you and your Gundam… to possess the Matrix of Leadership. Our legacy has been passed down from generation to living generation, and its supreme power can never be taken, borrowed, or even discovered. It can only be earned by the inner spirit and realized by honest compassion and virtue. We will now integrate our Matrix into 00 Raiser, uniting its heritage with that of the GN Drives. To bond your healing particles with our heirloom – our will is that you attain limitless power!"_

"_Your world awaits you, Setsuna F. Seiei. Bring light to it once more. This is your fate, and you cannot escape it. Beseech Optimus to return, for he has no equal and no substitute. There are none that can replace him. You must fulfil your destiny as our herald… as his herald!"_

"_Go. Fulfil your destiny as the champion of the Dynasty of Primes. Fulfil your destiny… as the champion of Optimus Prime."_

*

"_Go. Fulfil your destiny as the champion of the Dynasty of Primes. Fulfil your destiny… as the champion of Optimus Prime_."

The sixth and last spirit had spoken, and with that, the vision of the Dynasty's idyllic, sunlit paradise melted away, leaving Setsuna inside his damaged Gundam's cockpit. He slowly raised his head to glare at the Decepticon leader, who was approaching him at incredible speed. Baring its vampiric teeth, Eventide raised its GN Greatsword, preparing to thrust the massive blade into 00 Raiser's torso. "Disappear, Setsuna F. Seiei!" crowed Megatron. "Surrender and allow yourself to sink into the fear and darkness strangling your heart."

But strangely, Setsuna no longer feared anything at all. There was nothing left to fear. The unexplainable warmth of the Matrix inside 00 Raiser had chased away the darkness, replacing all his doubt and despair.

"You have no idea… you have no idea! _Do you really think I'll let you have your way, Megatron_?!" he roared defiantly.

His central screen suddenly flashed in recognition as a biometric ultrasound scanned across his brilliant irises. As the reading ended, the monitor beeped loudly and changed colour, shutting off everything else and revealing an entirely unfamiliar interface. The blinking display narrowed down into an orange digital bar, revealing two lines of words arranged in the centre of the window:

_00 Raiser: Trans-Am Matrix-Burst._

_Particle output: Unable to calculate_.

Setsuna didn't even realize it, but by the time he blinked, his Mobile Suit had entered Trans-Am Raiser mode once more. Two circles of GN Particles exploded from his two solar furnaces, imprinting the brilliant image of infinity against the backdrop of Earth. The whining Twin Drives suddenly gushed forth endless streams of multicoloured atoms, coating its surroundings in glistening radiance. These rivers radiated from his Twin Drives and collided with Eventide, shoving it back dismissively. Megatron shrieked in utter disbelief as his greatsword failed to penetrate the thick river of emerald, cerulean, aqua and jade, which was in turn enveloped by a vast net of orange dye. Several more streams of the same dazzling vividness swooped around 00 Raiser and shot away towards Mars and Persephone. They surrounded the red planet and the defunct Innovator mothership, cocooning the two celestial objects in an illuminating shield. Meanwhile, the horde of particles scooped up the floundering Megatron and hurled it hundreds of metres above Setsuna.

"Impossible!" he roared, struggling fruitlessly against the tide of unstoppable lustre. He combined his arms into Duskbringer and fired repeatedly, but the impact against the tributaries of light simply sent him spinning back further. He thrashed wildly as even more washed over him, bathing him in countless, innumerable particles. His metal jowls dropped as the antimatter from his ultimate weapon dissolved uselessly in their wake. He was blinded and drenched in sacrosanct illumination. He felt immobilized, constrained by invisible chains that didn't hurt him. But somehow, they still seemed threatening. He couldn't understand it: they were harmless! They could never scratch Eventide's invincible armour! Then why did he suddenly feel so extraordinarily vulnerable? Overwhelmed, he sensed his body weakening not from physical damage, but from something else. Ceasing his angry assault, he clutched his head with his clawed hands, shuddering heavily.

_That fleshling child… he's jamming my quantum wavelengths! He's cutting away my connection to Veda_! he realized in horror. "This can't be!" he bellowed in protest. He was losing his link to the supercomputer. Something even more powerful than his will was severing his bond. He was being rendered helpless; although his GN Drives still functioned, his offensive systems were shutting down one by one, and Trans-Am Rage was not exempted.

_I am… growing feeble_!

"Veda… I cannot lose you. I must have you. I cannot lose the saviour of Cybertron. No!" he shrieked impotently.

Billions upon billions of particles were bathing the expanse of Mars's orbit and beyond, soaking and penetrating all things with aqua and emerald. They soared around the ruins of the battle, where countless brave men had lost their lives to Eventide. The five crewmembers inside Persephone's tactical chamber gasped as Feldt's screen detected another unprecedented particle production from 00 Raiser. Even when synchronized with 0 Raiser, it was inconceivable that 00 Gundam could have ever reached this level of output. In a startling sign of hope, the aurora-like cascades split apart and entwined around the damaged Mobile Fortress. They also approached the surviving Meisters and seeped into their floating Mobile Suits. The interiors of the crafts filled with glimmering specks of light. But as 00 Raiser's confrontation with Megatron had proved, the GN Particles weren't dangerous. "This… isn't an ability intended for battle," whispered Feldt in realization, as Sumeragi raised her head, blinking away her tears.

"What's going on?" moaned Anew, as she suddenly glimpsed Lockon's bleeding, injured form. Her brow furrowed in concern. "Lyle… he's hurt!" she cried. "We have to help him!"

"What… what the…?" grunted Lockon inside Cherudim. He stared at the suspended particles around his cockpit, and Anew's worried face flashed in his head. "A… Anew?"

"Some… kind of illusion?" asked Allelujah slowly, looking around in wonder at this marvellous sight.

Marie could not believe her eyes. "It's beautiful," she blurted, before she realized that she was quite lost for words. _Even Soma… has fallen silent_.

Ratchet groaned. Aqua rivulets cuddled his limbs. "These are… from Setsuna's Gundam?" he asked quietly.

Ironhide felt his senses pulsing through his processors once more. His broken legs began to visibly restore themselves, fragment by broken fragment. They fused together, joined by the trickles of GN Particles coursing throughout his wounds. His mending hand reached out to touch the dancing spherules around him. "They… can repair us," he muttered.

Bumblebee sighed, rasping in awe as an invigorated Surya raised its head. "Wow."

Kati Mannequin could not contain her fascination. Having survived the initial onslaught of Eventide with her crew, she looked around the room on top of her container ship, staring at the particles that glowed with health and tenderness. "What is this… light?"

"This is the light of Setsuna's struggle," said Marina Ismail, looking up at the ceiling as she slumped onto her bed. Her knees were weak with emotion. The long, bloodsoaked search was over. At last, her beloved had discovered the meaning he sought. He had found the answer to conflict that had eluded them both since the advent of Celestial Being. He had found a worthy answer – an answer of compassion and courage. It came from his will, but it also came from 00 Raiser. Gundam.

_He was right all along. He really would change the world with his Mobile Suit_.

"This is the light of my sweet one's journey. This is the light of Soran's life," she whispered joyfully, as the particles continued to saturate Setsuna inside his cockpit. The Kurdish man did not feel much difference even after the triggering of Trans-Am Matrix-Burst, but his heart told him that he had truly and fully evolved. A new era had dawned. 00 Raiser had detected a true Innovator pilot, and its output of GN Particles had accordingly increased a hundredfold. Its multicoloured atoms also testified to the fact that the Dynasty had decided him worthy of the Matrix of Leadership, amplifying further his already unbelievable healing powers. In this stunning, unforeseen climax to the Earth-Cybertron dialogues, Setsuna had become a new creature, the first of his kind.

_I am Gundam_.

He remembered Prime's words to Marina and himself. "_Fate has found you and brought you together to heal the universe. It rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing. But be honoured that it has chosen you_."

"I understand… I finally understand," whispered Setsuna reverently. "For the sake of recognizing others… we'll leave all our mistakes behind and create our new future. And for that future… _we – will – change_!!!" he screamed, and at long last, his consciousness willingly and completely united with that of 00 Raiser's. Dazzling palaces of colours flashed in a dizzying, continuous sequence, bringing an ever-brighter glow to his eyes. The kaleidoscopic chain successively opened up more and more dimensions, timelines, and realities, laying bare their shimmering existences before him. He glimpsed the galaxies through the optical sensors of a Gundam, and the Gundam saw the scattered nebulae and quasars through the globular organs of an Innovator. The age of the planets, the lives and deaths of the star systems – he could process and comprehend them all. Innovator and robotic omniscience had entered Setsuna. He felt indestructible but excruciatingly tender. His mind felt inventively enlightened, yet his heart ached with love. Just like the Matrix and the Twin Drives, they were one: man and machine had become a single unity of awareness.

But the most spectacular phenomenon was only just beginning.

By now, the flood of GN Particles had inundated the furthermost reaches of the solar system, submerging all Mobile Suits and Persephone in its healing light. Those particles gathered again and hurtled towards Mars faster than the speed of sound, like water drawn into an invisible funnel. Obeying Setsuna's will, they streamed towards the cursed volcano's caldera, where the lifeless corpse of Prime lay. They descended upon the still body like an anxious girl throwing herself into the arms of a guardian. Voices from the quantum realm began to call his name entreatingly. They were the voices of countless deceased sentient beings that had suffered the wrath and cruelty of Megatron. Mingling with the whispering particles were the deep, ancient voices of the Dynasty. It had come for one of its own, urging him to take up his weapons and fight for the desperate creatures that needed him.

At first, there should never have been an answer to this ethereal, supernatural cry. A machine in permanent stasis lock – death in biological terms – could not possibly respond to an appeal, no matter how forlorn. But the quanta had come from a source that was not completely mechanical or robotic. They had come from the personhood of Setsuna. The amazing healing properties of 00 Raiser had combined with the only thing that could reach the dead.

Devotion.

The streams of green and blue enveloped the dimmed form of Bhagavan, swathing it in a protective shroud. Prime's broken body slowly rose from the volcano, its limp arms and legs trailing along limply. His hunched back slowly emerged from the crater he had died in, and was embraced by gentle, caressing streams of particles, like the yearning hands of a devoted lover. And like the beloved that responds with desire to her suitor's touch, Prime's body also stirred. Six metal hands twitched, and one of them flexed briefly. His torso began to glow softly and silently as the rivers of light danced around him. His shoulder-mounted Twin Drives began to hum as their fissures slowly closed and rejoined themselves. Within moments, a renewed eruption of particles fled from their thruster units, enfolding and embracing those of Setsuna's.

The blessing and heritage of the Dynasty was reviving Prime's spark. It was being resuscitated by the combined power of the Matrix and Trans-Am Burst.

His back lurched, and his six hands briefly clenched and unclenched, flexing with newfound vitality. Shining aurorae kissed his knuckles and ran themselves along his arms, down his legs, like a celestial goddess's tender, seductive massage. The voices of the particles sang imploringly to Prime's destroyed audio processors.

"_Light our darkest hour_."

Prime's optical sensors obediently shot open. Gentle, blue and orange flames poured inside, re-igniting the Autobot leader's penetrating, soulful gaze. They were wide in wonder as the memories returned. The love, the happiness, and the pain – it all came flooding back, and he remembered everything. His astonishment was palpable, and he was gasping and heaving. Only now did he realize the importance of 00 Raiser. Synchronized with a true Innovator, the Gundam possessed incredible, almost impossible abilities – cosmic awareness, quantum wave jamming, human and machine harmonization, global telepathy, cancer curing. But only _this_ could be called the ultimate power of Setsuna F. Seiei.

_This_ was the highest capability of the young man called Soran Ibrahim.

The power of…

"_RESURRECTION_!!"

*

The world was bearing witness to 00 Raiser's Trans-Am Matrix-Burst.

"Something… something is rising from that volcano on Mars!" cried Feldt, staring raptly into her screen as Mobile Fortress Persephone descended upon the shimmering 00 Raiser. "It couldn't be… could it?" Her eyes were shining as she suddenly broke into a tearful smile. "My God… it couldn't be!"

Lasse shook his head and laughed incredulously, not daring to believe his eyes. "This is going too far, Feldt."

"But look!" exclaimed Anew, bringing up the sight of the revived Optimus on the main display. Prime's six arms were healed, and even his destroyed weapons had been replaced with new ones – an entirely new beam sabre, longsword, broadsword, battleaxe, warhammer, and polesword. Flexing its stiff wrists, Bhagavan paused, aware of the crew watching him. It suddenly raised its glowing, blinding optics and stared straight into Persephone's monitor, prompting the crewmembers to jump slightly. "Optimus… he's risen out of the crater!" cried Anew, zooming her screen onto his crested, mouthplated face. "But how?"

"Op… Optimus?" stuttered Sumeragi. Her mind struggled to believe Feldt and Anew, protesting with the cold human logic that the dead – flesh or metal – cannot return to the living. But in truth, her heart sang, and it sang loudly. Her insides fluttered with dread, fear, and anticipation. She didn't know what 00 Raiser had done, but it hardly mattered anymore. To see him stirring with life was more than enough. "You're… you're alive." She bit her lip, struggling to hold back her tears again. "Then what are you waiting for? Please hurry back. We need you. Don't delay."

Hearing her frantic but hopeful voice, the Autobot-Gundam hovered away from the edge of the volcano's caldera. It clutched its six weapons and bent its rebuilt knees slightly. With a burst of particles from his restored Twin Drives, Prime spread his arms and shot into the atmosphere, leaving Mars's orbital ring in a matter of seconds. He hurtled eagerly towards 00 Raiser, Persephone, and the other Meisters' Gundams. The expanse of the dark solar system opened up before him, and he exulted in the renewed vitality within his rebuilt body. Motivated by compassion for those that cried for a Prime, Bhagavan Gundam now flew to rejoin its comrades.

"Leesa. I'm so sorry for hurting you," he called mournfully.

Lockon and Allelujah stared at the approaching Mobile Suit in wonder and bewilderment. They were glimpsing the true capabilities of the GN Particles and Setsuna F. Seiei. But even Setsuna couldn't fully know the potency of his particle output. That it could raise destroyed Cybertronian machines from death seemed utterly ridiculous to say the least. "Op… Optimus?" he whispered in wonder. Flying upwards at breakneck speed, Prime did not stop until he had left the red planet's gravity field completely and stopped before a shimmering, multi-hued 00 Raiser. Setsuna could not believe his shining eyes as Bhagavan looked into his main display. "How… how?"

"You have summoned me and I have complied, good and noble Innovator," replied Bhagavan, as pristine as the primordial waters that gave birth to life. Particles danced around it, enveloping 00 Raiser and the Autobot-Gundam. "A bio-terminal's quantum brain waves, working with the Twin Drive System, expand human consciousness through purified GN Particles. This consciousness is something that cannot simply be destroyed. It is a true gift of unsurpassable healing. At the height of its intensity, your powers can resurrect robotic organisms housed in Mobile Suits." Prime clenched his hand, gazing at his metal fist. "As long as you bask in these particles, there can be no limits for you. You really are the new guide of humanity, Soran."

"Don't you see, Setsuna?" echoed Tieria Erde's serene voice. Setsuna and Prime glanced around in surprise at the words of the bio-terminal, who had completed his immersion into Veda. The omnipresent consciousness sounded satisfied. "It's because of your humility that your evolution was completed. It was your humility and empathy that caught the Primes' attention. Ribbons Almark failed in his dreams of power because he hated Optimus and Cybertron. By contrast, you are a human being that came to understanding. Your strove and managed to comprehend others, including beings from another planet. That is the fundamental meaning of Innovation, and its role in the dialogues. So don't worry, Setsuna. Because of his hatred for humans, Megatron will fail, in the same way Ribbons failed."

Tieria's voice disappeared as suddenly as it had come. He had only wanted to affirm the proclamations of the Dynasty. "I am an Innovator," whispered Setsuna, taking in Tieria's grateful words. "My Gundam and I… we achieve victory through understanding."

Prime suddenly looked up, glancing at Persephone and the Mobile Suits around it. "Celestial Being," he whispered in realization. "Oh, Soran. How am I going to explain this to Leesa?"

Setsuna was about to gabble out a hasty response when Allelujah's transmission reached Bhagavan. "You are very important to us all, Optimus," said the super soldier gravely. He sighed contentedly, beaming into his screen. "It is a miracle that you answered Ma'am Sumeragi's tears."

"Thank you for choosing to stay," said Marie, blinking away the misery she had shed for Prime only minutes earlier. She clasped her hands together and placed them on her chest. "Thank you so much."

Lockon closed his eyes, swearing in relief. "You really know how to keep a crowd in suspense, don't you?" he chuckled. "But I'll be honest with you – the risk you took was simply too great, even for me."

Prime lowered his head in genuine guilt. "I owe you all an apology."

"Optimus," mumbled Sumeragi through the frequencies. Her hands were weak as she stared at his restored face through the Mobile Fortress's tactical monitor. She avoided the overjoyed gazes of Feldt, Mileina, Lasse, and Anew. She would have shrunk away in embarrassment on other occasions, but this was an extraordinary, remarkable moment. She did not dare to lift her eyes away from Prime in case he disappeared again like a dream. Breaking down, she tried to smile at him, but all she could manage was a whimper. "Optimus… oh, Optimus. I can't fight Megatron alone. But you can be so cruel. I thought… I thought you left us behind." She could not find anything else to tell him, and she slumped against her chair helplessly. "Don't ever run off like that again."

The ascendant Prime nodded repentantly. "You may punish me when this is all over. But first, I must bring an end to all this pain," said Bhagavan softly. The six-armed Mobile Suit turned away, and in a dissipating cloud of GN Particles, shot in the direction of Megatron. It would be the last time he ever showed her his back. Once this was complete, he would keep her in his embrace and never leave her side.

"This will be over soon. Worry no more, Lessa. I'll make this quick," he growled.

Sumeragi's hands suddenly relaxed. At last, the tears had dried and her rounded shoulders had stopped trembling. Her heart no longer beat irregularly. She was no longer disconsolate or anguished. Calmed by the sight of her beloved robot, she exhaled heavily, watching 00 Raiser's particles swirling inside the tactical room and outside the starship.

_This is Optimus's fight_.

"Setsuna… thank you for everything," she murmured, as the Innovator, Soran Ibrahim, closed his quantizing eyes in exhaustion. He did not hear anyone else call his name as 00 Raiser's Trans-Am spent itself. The invisible Matrix's return to dormancy quickly sent him into a deep, well-deserved sleep.

*

Megatron hadn't recovered from the quantum wave jamming that had almost paralysed his entire body. His offensive systems would never recover, not as long as 00 Raiser still functioned. Despite sensing Prime's presence again, he couldn't turn around, let alone attack. "Impossible!" he roared again. "To revive the dead through GN Particles?! Not even Eventide possesses this power!" His vermillion optics widened. "Is this… some secret ability of 00 Raiser's?!"

He could only howl in powerless, shocked frustration as Bhagavan smashed against his waist at a speed faster than light. "_Prime_!" he shrieked, as his body was launched towards Earth against his will. "How dare you approach me!"

"I have realized the deeper reason for my six arms," said Prime gravely. "They commemorate the spirits of my ancestors, who gave themselves to deny The Fallen his mad desires. The benevolent Primes… " His optics narrowed as he and Megatron hurtled past the moon and towards the orbit of the blue planet. "The Dynasty sacrificed themselves to defeat the seventh that betrayed them. The true Primes that held true to their covenant – they embody the six transcendent virtues.

"You never knew their individual names, did you? Then let me tell you what they are." Optimus plunged his beam sabre into his immobilized archenemy's armpit, and its blade emerged out of his shoulderplate. "Generosity." He thrust his GN Longsword into the side of Megatron's armoured abdomen, and the latter shrieked in pain. "Virtue." Eventide deployed its dented flail and swung back, but Prime blocked it and entangled the e-carbon chain with the flat of his GN Battleaxe. "Forbearance."

Megatron thrashed about frenziedly as the pharaonic countenances of the Dynasty flashed inside his spark, enveloped by the angry face of Optimus himself. In a bitter twist of irony, true understanding had dawned upon him at last. "Vigour." Prime's GN Broadsword quickly moved in for the advantage, cleaving away Eventide's left leg in one swift slash. "Contemplation." Before Eventide could aim Duskbringer, Bhagavan crushed the sputtering fusion cannon inwards with a ferocious swing of its GN Warhammer. "Wisdom." In a final attack, it spun its GN Polesword, slicing away Megatron's remaining arm, completely depriving him of his weapons and claws.

"And what of me? I am Optimus – the culmination of them all. The six of the forgotten past nurtured and raised me to be their greatest successor. My ancestors' spirits live on through me, Megatron. In other words, I am your worst nightmare."

Megatron's clenched jaw slackened in disbelief. His optics narrowed, no longer in concern, but in genuine outrage. "Is the fate of our race not worth one planet?" he growled feverishly. "We have Veda, we have the GN Drives! I have everything we need to resume galactic conquest and rebuild Cybertron's empire! But your short-sightedness will be the end of our people!"

For the first time in many centuries, Prime laughed in utter scorn, displaying a contemptuous blitheness that did not befit him at all. Megatron almost looked frightened. "You'd never stop at just one world, Lord High Protector. You've never stopped at just one. We both know that."

He released his beam sabre and reached for Megatron's struggling head. "Give me your face," he roared. Its execution looming, Eventide convulsed as Prime snapped its creaking e-carbon spine in one powerful wrench. Bhagavan was repaying Eventide's cruelty with an equal brutality. Megatron hissed in disbelief, glimpsing the Dynasty's spirits one last time as Bhagavan clamped its palm and fingers over his necromantic face. "You picked the wrong Prime to challenge. Our heritage will never die. Not as long as the last of the Dynasty continues to give succour to the suffering beings of the universe!"

_Veda is… the saviour of Cybertron. I am… its leader. Together… we_… The swirling visions of the pharaonic Primes faded away, and Eventide sighed as utter clarity blessed its last moments. The expanse of space suddenly transmuted into the beautiful, cloudless skies of Cybertron. The skyscrapers of the robots reached up for the beyond proudly. All seemed right with the world, and Megatron, the planet's Lord High Protector, had returned home at last.

"Goodbye… brother." Bhagavan pulled with a sick _crunch_, yanking the twisted metal of Eventide's head away from its shoulders. With a roar, it forcefully detached the dread Gundam's sputtering neck from the carapace Veda had constructed for Megatron. It was a brusque and unceremonious end for the most powerful Decepticon ever to stalk the universe. There wasn't even an explosion to grace the dread Eventide. Smoking with damage, it slowly slackened into a hunched form and began to float in the expanse of space aimlessly, beaten by the being it could not supersede. In contrast, Bhagavan rose upwards in the backdrop of Jupiter, its orange-blue optics flashing brilliantly like miniature suns. The Gundam slowly released Megatron's head, whose optical sensors slowly lost their hateful red. In a solemn and respectful gesture of closure, Prime raised his longsword and plunged it into Eventide's chest, laying his onetime comrade and brother to rest forever.

Surely there was redemption for even the darkest of sparks.

*

"The war is over," whispered Feldt. She blinked away tears of joy, looking into her display screen as Prime raised a weary, triumphant fist. "The carnage and bloodshed is finally over."

"Optimus," whispered Sumeragi, crying quietly in relief. "His return… our victory… it was all thanks to Setsuna."

"We made it, Lyle," breathed Anew, her tight hands finally releasing her controls. "We can go home now… together."

"We did it, Allelujah," murmured Marie, as GN Archer entered Persephone's slowly opening hangar bay. "We overcame our greatest fears to walk in the light."

Allelujah nodded as the shattered but stabilized Arios followed its complement. "We believed in each other and the future we could create. This is a victory for humanity and Autobot alike," he said. He looked up, deep in thought. "Tieria… thank you for watching over us to the very end."

The backdrop of the blue and green planet always looked so beautiful. Having completed its task, Bhagavan Gundam flew to retrieve its injured Autobot comrades. It was done. With the Trial System activated on Earth and the unlocking of 00 Raiser's Trans-Am Matrix-Burst, the Decepticon invasion was finally overcome. Despite everything, the Prime Coalition had rallied successfully. With the revelation of the Dynasty and the last Prime's victory, Megatron knew the bitter taste of defeat at the hands of what he deemed as lesser beings.

But one's humiliation was another's triumph, especially in the wake of the Decepticons' deactivation on Earth. Upon receiving Sumeragi's transmission of Megatron's defeat, Sergei Smirnov and Pang Hercules had called an end to hostilities, proclaiming humanity's victory in the Earthen-Cybertronian War. In Istanbul, Bruce Lennox couldn't stop the jubilance dancing within him as Arcee, Rollbar and Breakaway raised their weapons rejoicingly into the sky. He was too tired to crouch, preferring to stand even as he dropped his automatic rifle in absolute exhaustion. His Federation uniform was covered in grey ash and black soot, and it was smeared with mud, dirt, and blood. But never before had his career as a soldier felt so complete. Never had his military calling seemed so worthwhile.

_What do you think, William? Three hundred years ago, you helped these guys out and regretted nothing. This time, it was my turn. It's becoming a family tradition, isn't_ _it_?

"These hands, so used to shooting and stabbing… looks like it'll take some time to get used to bandaging the wounds of others," he muttered. He closed his eyes in memory of the loyal platoon he had lost. "Now to pick up the pieces from this goddamn war."

*

_Space. Beyond Earth and Mars_

Setsuna had awakened. He glanced around groggily – quantization was gruelling and arduous, especially on such a systemic, galactic scale. But now, there was no need to initiate understanding. The reason for the world's survival was nothing less than the understanding between humans and Autobots. As such, the particles from Trans-Am Matrix-Burst had depleted themselves and scattered, reducing further the dwindling energy of the Mobile Suit. It gradually retuned to its normal, blue and white colour. It was missing its right leg and fizzling with the damage inflicted by Eventide, but its GN Drives were still functional. And he was undoubtedly alive.

_My Gundam… and the blessing of the Matrix_…

His transmitter buzzed to life unexpectedly. "Thank you… for everything," came Feldt's shaking, joyful voice. "Everything's going to be okay now. We're bringing you back inside Persephone. Hang in there; it won't be long now. I'll come into the sick bay and see you later."

"Copy… that," he groaned. "Thanks… Feldt."

He slumped back against his seat as his grip relaxed on his clutches. No one saw his smile then, not even Marina or Prime, but they would have been most surprised if they were there to see it. It was an almost boyish grin, a beam of pure innocence and trust. Of fulfillment and amazement. It was the truest smile he had ever offered in his violent existence, for he had changed the world through his own understanding and reformed humanity with his own Innovation.

His life began from the moment he glimpsed 0 Gundam in the heavens.

But he would never forget this haunting milestone.

"My Gundam… has changed the world."


	31. Chapter 30: Sacred Age

A/N: Hello, it's me again with the final chapter of TF 00. Technically, this isn't the epilogue, so I'm afraid the ordeal must continue for a little longer. :p In all seriousness, I didn't intend to write this chapter because I had the epilogue prepared for a finale. However, I realized that the leap from Chapter 29 to the epilogue suffered from a lack of sufficient closure. I think the characters from Gundam 00 experienced that lack in S2's last episode (to be fair, there's still the 2010 movie). And on the TF side, don't forget the outrageously rushed ending of Revenge of The Fallen! Hence this chapter was written, as a tribute to the characters and relationships I've developed in this story.

TF 00 can _technically_ end after this chapter, although it actually doesn't. I will post up the epilogue very shortly afterwards, because that was how I originally planned it.

I hope this last chapter and the epilogue will give satisfactory closure. Happiness, sadness, love, hope, humour… not even the wrath of Megatron can break the strength of friendship. The bonds that have been forged between the people of the Earth-Sphere Federation and the Autobots are imperishable.

I hope you enjoyed this adventure. I certainly have. ;)

*

*

*

**Chapter 30: Sacred Age**

South of rebuilt Tokyo, if someone travelled several miles past the more famous districts of Shibuya and Shinjuku, they would arrive at a large memorial to the Earthen-Cybertronian War. Towering over a giant, diamond plaque on which flowers and folded cranes were offered to the slain, the obelisk stood exactly fifteen feet tall, overlooking the park in which it was erected. Imposing and elaborate, it was built with the intention to inspire a sense of sombre awe and self-reflection in its visitors. On opposite sides of its apex were engraved the solemn faces of Optimus Prime and Megatron, the primeval rivals whose eternal conflict shook a universe. The mausoleum was therefore a representative of all the lives lost in the Earthen-Cybertronian War – neither friend nor foe was excluded. There had been enough death and despair, enough terror and hate and carnage. With the Earth-Sphere Federation reunited and reformed, the time was ripe to walk the path of life and hope – together.

_Freedom is the right of all sentient beings_.

It was on this day, in the year 2313 Anno Domini, that the survivors of the Prime Coalition gathered one last time to commemorate the sacrifices that human and Autobot alike had made for the preservation of Earth. Life had returned to normal. Or at least, as normal as it could get, with six Autobots watching over the proceedings of the memorial service. Prime, Bumblebee, Ratchet, Ironhide, Jetfire, and Arcee – they stood at the very rear of the congregation, listening closely to the conclusion of Pang Hercules's heartfelt tribute.

"The ways of the world are often not what they seem," said the leader of the coup d'état faction, which had long since disbanded. "The reformation of the Federation and its politicians reflected something very close to our own hearts – the reformation of the human spirit. As we look upon this dark, diamond monument, we commit to reforming our own prejudices, fears, and suspicions. We strive to transmute our hatred into compassion, our lust for war into an _eros_ for life. We remember the injustice with which we treated our saviours – " He glanced at the Autobots as he continued, " – and the foolishness that allowed the Decepticons to destroy so much of our civilization.

"But we must be totally, brutally honest with ourselves. Have we not committed the same crimes as Megatron? Have we not treated our own kind with cruelty, inhumanity, and deceit? How can we cry out with a clean conscience when we've happily stifled ourselves with the gag of apathy and complacency?

"Therefore, we must never forget that the reformation of our world government isn't only some distant event. It is happening within us all, changing our perspectives as infinitely small creatures in an infinitely vast cosmos. If the war – and the Autobots – haven't taught us at least the virtue of humility, then the millions that we've already lost have given their precious lives in vain indeed."

His hands left the lectern, and he turned around to face the pillar. "Please stand."

In scattered unison, the members of the Prime Coalition – the Gundam Meisters and the crew of Persephone among them – rose from their seats, closing their eyes as Pang recited a short prayer from the biblical Psalms. As a final tribute, he called out to Marina Ismail, inviting her to join him in a prayer to God. Wearing a long, stately dress of mourning, the reinstated Sovereign Monarch of Azadistan made her way from the front row and ascended the rostrum. She went on her two knees before the plaque, prostrating and offering a petition to the Almighty from the Muslim tradition. The park was silent save for the chirping birds and her beautiful voice, which trembled with grief for Shirin and Klaus. Pang bowed his head, following Marina's prayer attentively and respectfully as she whisked the survivors' hopes up to Heaven. Most of the gathered attendees also joined in politely.

Setsuna was not one of them.

As he sat beside Lockon and Feldt behind Sumeragi, he watched the princess closely as she rose and thanked Pang. He was one of the many individuals in the crowd who had lost the strength to pray. Even after his vision of the Dynasty, the word "God" still felt meaningless to him, as contradictory and logically incoherent as a square circle. He might have seemed rude to others, but he could not offer his prayers with an honest conscience. Ever since the war's end, he had done his best to measure the value of his life according to the urgings of his inner voice.

As Pang and Marina concluded the ceremony with a salute to the monument, the leaders of the alliance, who stood in front of the congregation, also raised their hands to their head. Sergei Smirnov, Kati Mannequin, and Sumeragi Lee Noriega were garbed in outfits of black and dark grey, and Kati's hands were concealed in white gloves. Immediately behind her stood the Meisters, their faces stony as two rows of ceremonially garbed soldiers aimed their rifles into the air. Their sergeant barked a command, and seven loud shots rang into the otherwise quiet morning, scaring away an avian flock from the nearby trees. Ironhide, Bumblebee, and the much smaller Arcee followed the humans' lead and saluted as well. Ratchet and Optimus closed their optical sensors in tribute, whilst a repaired and rebuilt Bennu looked on sullenly.

"How long has it been?" murmured Jetfire. "How many months have passed since the nightmare that Megatron unleashed on this world?"

*

The commanders remained behind with the crew of Celestial Being after the larger crowd dispersed. The Autobots stood watching them in silence – there wasn't much left to say. Sergei and Sumeragi made their way forward to the plaque, and Sumeragi lowered herself to lay a bouquet of white flowers by the tall obelisk.

They had never recovered Andrei's body.

"A father should never look upon the grave of his son," declared Sergei, smiling dourly. "Such a thing is simply an aberration of the natural order, an insult to the order of things."

"There is no point in being angry with yourself, Sergei. There is yet more work to be done," said Kati. "And besides, you are wrong if you think you have no family."

"What do you mean? Andrei was my only child."

Kati quietly moved aside, making way for a timid Marie Parfacy to move towards the stone pillar. Wearing a black dress similar to that of Kati's, Marie trembled as her teary eyes met those of an astonished Sergei.

"We meet again, commander," she offered.

"Soma… Peries?" he muttered, startled. "I didn't know… you were here."

_How long has it been since I left you with Celestial Being? Yet it never crossed my mind that you were involved so closely with the Earthen-Cybertronian War. Have I committed the sin of neglect… again_?

He coughed, and quickly corrected himself. "My apologies, Marie Parfacy. It's been a long time since we met…"

"That's changed nothing about how I feel towards you, commander," whispered Marie. Her large, gold eyes widened expectantly. "Soma Peries and I… we still remember your offer to adopt her."

"Ah, yes," confirmed Sergei, remembering. His smile was still bittersweet. "You have a good memory. We decided to leave that past behind after you found – "

"Things have changed. The war is over. So come with me and make me your daughter," whispered Marie quickly, drawing near and embracing him in full view of his colleagues. "Please, come and live with Allelujah and me." The small woman looked up at the rugged Russian, yellow eyes shining. "You must be as tired of war as us. Let's make a fresh start. As one family."

Sergei's scarred eyes melted with emotion. The loss of Andrei and his sudden reunion with Marie unlocked feelings that had lain dormant for far too long. "Very well," he choked quietly, holding back the grateful tremble in his voice. He returned Marie's hug slowly, allowing himself to ignore the comrades around him. "Marie."

Garbed in a black, formal suit, Allelujah smiled as he watched from a distance. With their reunion, the dreadful legacy of the superhuman institutes had come to a gentle, forgiving closure.

"Nevertheless," added Kati, looking piercingly at Sumeragi, "we haven't forgotten the crimes of Celestial Being. For now, as the Federation reorganizes itself, we won't presume to make a move against you, nor do we intend to reinstate the dismantled A-Laws. But the moment you try anything smart, we _will_ treat you as a threat."

Sumeragi didn't reply. She stood, not bothering to turn around. "But still, it's over. The Prime Coalition is no longer needed. The world has changed, and the united, reformed government can finally take the reins from Optimus." She took a deep breath. "Isn't that right?"

Bhagavan shifted forward and slowly kneeled, accidentally crushing an empty plastic chair that had been misplaced beyond the grass. "Leesa… Sergei. Kati and Pang. Thank you all. My struggle against Megatron, against Eventide Gundam, would have been futile without your intervention. All I wish to ask now is…" Prime tilted his crested, crowned head. "Where do you all intend to go from here?"

"We'll follow you, Optimus," said Bumblebee keenly, and Ratchet nodded. "If you want us to stay and defend Earth, we'll gladly enlist into the Federation army."

"Hello? Cybertron to Bumblebee?" said Arcee, rolling her optics. "Optimus has the full cooperation of Earth's military. You don't need to sign up with anyone."

"Optimus," said Ironhide quietly. "We've come a long way. We came from Cybertron to Earth, and then returned home… but we're here again, after three hundred years."

"Ironhide's right. Don't you all deserve to rest after so many violent battles?" asked Marina, looking up into Prime's orbs of orange and blue. "Stay on Earth with us. We are friends and companions. You are our guides."

Prime nodded, well aware of Sumeragi's imploring gaze. "When humanity decides to venture into space to encounter other races and other civilizations, then the Autobots will move again. We will be humanity's protectors and preceptors into a vast and often dangerous universe. Until then…" He smiled down at Marina. "I should very much like to stay on Earth, in your company." He radiated happiness as Sumeragi brightened at his words. She walked towards him slowly, and even the stern Kati could not resist a smile.

Marina's pleased eyes met Setsuna's. They both felt the same thing. _So much has been destroyed. But we are standing together here, alive and victorious_.

"Megatron once said that destruction must come before rebirth," declared Prime. "We have accordingly mourned that destruction. Now, it's time to let go. Let us celebrate our rebirth."

*

Outside the park's gates stood two civilians in smart but casual wear. One was a young Spanish woman, the other her Japanese-American boyfriend. The former had been discharged from hospital – completely cured, with no signs of radiation or illness at all. "Say, Saji… what do you think is the way forward for everyone now?" said Louise Halevy, resting her head against his shoulder. "What's the correct path we should take so there'll be no misunderstanding? I don't want to be fooled anymore."

Saji Crossroad shyly kissed her, easing away the mild anxiety in her voice. His self-confidence had blossomed ever since his role in the final battle against Megatron. "The paths of others aren't for me to decide," he replied. His mature eyes were happy and contended. "Setsuna chose his own path and followed the voice of his heart. And that's what I'll do. I don't know if the world will keep its promises. But at least I know I can keep my own." He looked down at Louise, whose cheek was pressing against his collar. "Let's walk that path together."

"I'm glad you're the one walking with me, Saji," she assented, her grip around him tightening.

The first true Innovator – history's very first transhuman – had shared one last conversation with the Prime before departing with Marina. Setsuna would always remember this immeasurably special day. Nevertheless, he felt melancholy. He had shaken Lasse's hand, and saluted Lockon and Allelujah. For now, he had wrapped up his associations with Celestial Being and the Autobots. After so many battles together, it had come time to leave. After drawing so close to everybody in understanding…

"_There is no victory without sacrifice. A young boy, even younger than you, once told me that. So I thank you for sacrificing so much, Soran. You are the reason for our triumph. _

"_Do keep in touch. No matter where we are in the infinite realms of space, our bond through Veda will tie us together for the rest of our lives_."

Prime's parting words continued to echo in his heart. In many ways, just as he would never dream of parting with his Gundam, he dearly wished for the Autobots to stay and work with Celestial Being. The journey was far from over. There were still nations to protect, and perhaps even armed interventions to continue. As long as strife continued to plague the unity of the world, the rebuilt Celestial Being would punish those that caused it. Still, for now, with the dialogues fulfilled and the victory achieved alongside the Autobots, world unity looked to last a long and promising time indeed.

Marina had already joined Saji and Louise outside the tall park entrance. Setsuna was running late. But there was one more person he hadn't finished saying goodbye to.

Lifting her black veil of mourning from her eyes, Feldt stood before him, unable to meet his gaze. Silence passed between the two of them until Setsuna raised his head, staring into the blue sky. "I will go to Azadistan for a short while," he said. "I will give peace a try before returning to Celestial Being." He smiled. "I'll be back, of course. 00 and Exia are indispensable weapons for our team. You'll need a pilot for them both."

Feldt shuffled her feet hesitantly, but managed to stop herself. Throughout her life, she had always possessed the courage to express her feelings boldly – except to the men that she cared most about. Neil Dylandy had died ignorant of her affection, and she hadn't managed to confess her fondness for Setsuna, either. Enough was enough. After all these years, she promised herself that she would not fear the unknown anymore… even if the unknown did not return her calls with a voice of its own.

"Feldt?" repeated Setsuna.

She looked into his brown eyes. "This is for you," she said, moving her hand from behind her back and lifting a transparent, glass box containing a yellow flower. "Do you remember this species from your homeland? Linda replicated it in the lab on Persephone." Setsuna blinked in surprise and took the box from her hands. "I must be honest, even if I cannot match Princess Marina." She forced a bright smile. "Please come back and see me. Promise that you will come on board our ship again."

His eyes could not hide his surprise, although he could not hold back his smile, either. "You've changed a lot, Feldt," he said. "I won't lie to you: I don't know what to say. Nor do I know what's in store for us in the future. So all I can give back, for now, is a little something…"

He suddenly pressed his lips to her right cheek and kissed it quietly. After a brief moment of contact, he backed away respectfully as the startled Feldt put two fingers to the side of her face, her eyes wide in shock at his grateful touch.

"You're not the only one who has changed, Feldt," he said softly.

Holding the container of her flower in one hand, he gave her a final wave as the Autobots in the park rose into the air, their solar furnaces humming. Arcee was holding onto Bumblebee's shoulder, and she gave a thumbs-up to the humans below. Kati, Sergei, Marie, and Pang saluted, along with Lockon and Allelujah. Anew looked on beside Linda, her red eyes shimmering. Lasse rubbed his nose, concealing his melancholy with a gruff grunt. In a similar spirit, Ian gave a casual nod, desperate to hide his gloom as Mileina hugged her father, bawling in distress at the Autobots' departure. "Come back," she blubbered, sniffling. "Please come back." Nearby, Orange Haro and its coloured companions supported her cries. They chirped repeatedly for Bumblebee, bouncing up and down on the grass.

Tears welled in Feldt's jade eyes. She felt overcome with pining. He really would come back – he said so himself. But she couldn't wait that long! She trembled in joy, but her hand felt too weak to reach for him. "Goodbye, Setsuna," she whispered in longing. He turned around, surprised at her unusually weak voice. She smiled through her sniffles. "I'll be waiting for you."

Setsuna smiled compassionately at those words. "Feldt…" He approached her shaking body again and cuddled her in his arms. He didn't release her for several minutes, and she didn't want him to release her, but in the end, he had to. He shifted back, reciprocating her loving gaze, and gave her another tender kiss, this time on the nose. "I'll return as soon as I can," he mumbled. He looked up into the blue sky and saluted the guardians of the galaxy, his eyes meeting Prime's optics one last time. Then, he turned away from a tearful Feldt and hurried to Marina, who waited beyond the silver gates. Bhagavan nodded at the shrinking, waving princess in approval.

_Your future is_ _now, Soran and Marina_.

Sparrows twittered and flew past the park's entrance as Marina looked away from the sky and took Setsuna's hand. They smiled at each other. "Thank you, Soran," she cooed enthusiastically. "I understand that you cannot stay for long. That you have decided to act as my representative is already my honour. I'm afraid you'll feel a bit uncomfortable around the other dignitaries, but please bear with me."

He closed his eyes. "I see you've been talking with Optimus."

She nodded in excitement. "Yes. While Cybertron cannot be rebuilt yet, the hopes of its people – _his_ people – can be realized in a rejuvenated Azadistan. Yes! I have plans for a new Autobot colony to be established in my country, so that our friends will have a home to cherish and protect." She had capitalized on every opportunity to exercise her new political authority. The Middle East was about to undergo a solar revolution under her management, and the Azadistani administration wasted no time in directing their newly acquired assets into developmental projects for humans and Autobots. "That is my promise to him, in repayment for everything he has done for us."

Setsuna embraced his princess and kissed her, wrapping his free arm tightly around her eager body. "You'll be one of the few monarchs I'd want to serve under," he whispered. He nuzzled her bared neck and momentarily forgot himself in the tresses of her night-sky hair. She laughed out his name, but his only response was to squeeze her tighter.

Saji and Louise blushed and looked at each other as the Middle Eastern couple caught themselves and muted their affectionate display. "This is a real reunion, and I'm not sure if we'll be meeting in person anytime soon," offered Louise wistfully. "We might never have such a chance again. Can you two join us for a buffet dinner tonight? I've reserved a private room at the Ritz. Everything's on me."

"You are too kind," said Marina graciously, beaming over Setsuna's shoulder. Her Persian eyes twinkled. "Soran?"

"Dinner first. And then we'll go," murmured the reborn Meister. "I will return to the Middle East, where it all began. I will accompany you to your homeland, where I'll lay my crimes to rest for good."

He closed his eyes, and on his face was an expression of peace that was growing more common by the day.

_Celestial Being. _

_Autobot._

_Gundam…_

_Goodbye… everyone_.

*

_21:43 hours. Celestial Being private luxury resort, amenities compound_

The moon was beautiful tonight.

Sumeragi Lee Noriega burst up from the pool's surface, flinging back excess water from her hazelnut hair. She stroked back her tresses, her bikini and creamy skin sparkling with shining droplets. She smiled as she felt someone's gaze affixed to her every movement. Having met her here after nightfall, Optimus had been content to simply watch her swim across the pool's surface, admiring her elegant form and her slender, flexible limbs. More thoughts wandered in his system as he lost his gaze in her body. She was supple and beautiful. It always felt good to hold her, to cradle and pamper this precious being.

_How would I feel about her, were I an organic life form_?

What might have been the possibilities between them if he was something frailer… something sexual?

Sumeragi seemed to share his fantasies. She had entertained them several times before. The brunette slowly and deliberately backstroked to the pool's edge, gazing up mischievously into her guardian's orange-blue optics. He gave an indulgent smile, and she laughed in delight. "Just admit it, Optimus. You'd love to join me, but you don't want to look silly," she teased.

He reached out carefully, playfully dipping a thick finger into the pool. She squealed in thrill as several droplets dashed her face. "I've learnt a lot from you, human lady," he chuckled, enjoying the melody of her pleased mirth. Her toes stroked away at his metal expectantly. "You are now teaching me to have fun."

"Good robot," she purred. She rewarded him coyly, gliding herself along his finger before reaching the pool's ladder. Climbing up, she made her way to the wooden table beside her deckchair. Water slid down her wet body and dripped onto the marble floor. After several months of abstaining from alcohol, she had finally allowed herself a treat – a glass of refreshing, strong apple martini, shaken well. Admittedly, it felt exhilarating to return to drinking. But thanks to a certain someone, she had learned the extremely helpful habit of moderating her intake. It was faintly amusing. After all, he'd never rebuked her in the slightest, nor was he educated in the study of human health. It was his company and friendship that had reformed her.

He let out a relaxed murmur as she looked up into the star-studded sky, taking a sip. Palm trees and lush shrubs surrounded the opulent pool, of which they were the only guests. It was almost midnight. She closed her eyes in sensual bliss at the rediscovered taste of the martini. "I'm very happy, Optimus. I don't think I've ever been happier in my life."

"Are you sure all loose ends have been tied, Leesa?" he asked.

"You mean my bikini?"

"Don't be naughty. That man you mentioned… Billy Katagiri. You have chosen to stay with me for now, but he must feel lonely. With his father's suicide and the disappearance of his friend, he needs your support more than ever. "

"I've already had a word with Billy," she said, turning to look at Prime. She shifted into an alluring stance, her free hand on her hip while she continued to suck at the straw from her cocktail. "All the anger and hurt he harboured since my return to Celestial Being was because of me. Even now, I'm still far too immature to deserve a wonderful man like him. I made that quite clear. I don't want him to live in the past because I've been there myself. I want him to focus his talents on the future, instead. And maybe then, we'll be able to get back together."

She set aside her glass. "I've also come to terms with my past, with the way I failed Emilio. I've forgiven myself, just as Emilio forgave me. From now on, I'll concentrate on protecting the world and those who are dear to me. I want to protect everyone… and you." The painful memory of Prime's death – and the triumphant recollection of his return – manifested themselves in her olive eyes. "I'm not letting you leave me again, _comrade_."

He slowly drew down to pick her up. She folded herself into one of his six hands as he raised her almost naked body to his face. High in the night air, she bore her feminine admiration and vulnerability to her Lord, Bhagavan Gundam. "You came back after three centuries because you still had faith in humanity. If you no longer believed in us, I would never have met you. That's such a frightening thought, something I'm terrified by. I've become paranoid of losing you, silly robot. Now I only want to keep you close, so you'll know how much you mean to me.

"What else can I do?" she wondered aloud. "To you, I'm just a little girl."

She stood up, her bare legs moving across his palm. When she reached his face, she went back on her knees slowly, responding to his doting gaze with an adoring cuddle. She closed her eyes and kissed his mouthplate while her body pressed against him devotedly. Damp, human lips met dry, Cybertronian metal. At each other's touch, the commanders sighed in bliss, quietly rejoicing in a world free from war.

"Thank you. Thank you for choosing me. I love you. I am yours forever."


	32. Epilogue: A Final Duty

**Epilogue: A Final Duty**

_2335 A.D._

Every year, on March the 22nd, all who were touched by the life of Leesa Kujo gather to visit her gravestone in the afternoon. Some are dignitaries; others are military officers. Some are people who never fought in the Earthen-Cybertronian War, though they or their kin might have suffered casualties at the Decepticons' hands. Others are merely dutiful children following their parents to a ceremony they have little understanding of, largely ignorant of the war that threatened to destroy the universe.

But such memories, like any other that herald a milestone in the history of Earth, plant the seeds of legend and grow into great myths of wonderful stories to tell future generations. This is the beauty of the human spirit and the magnificence of the Cybertronian journey. Thanks to the legacy of past alliances, the world now sings of the friendship of two planets united as one family.

Unfortunately, this marvel is a wonder that Leesa plays no part in. Planted on a large hill, the lonely stone slab that commemorates her cremated body is of a simple, austere design. It reads:

_Leesa Kujo, 2281 A.D. – 2330 A.D._

_Departed from this world after forty-nine years. Leesa Kujo served as the Tactical Forecaster of Celestial Being under the codename of Sumeragi Lee Noriega. Her direct contact and friendship with the Autobots contributed to the preservation of the human race during and after the Earthen-Cybertronian War._

_May she find peace with the world and herself._

*

The sun is retreating, kissing the tombstone even as its rays lick away at the grass on the mound. They are giving way to shade and darkness. By sundown, all who came to pay their respects will have departed, disbanded, and returned to their families. But what they don't know is that long after the service is concluded and all the flowers are laid, one last visitor arrives.

Just one.

He comes at least twice every year, just when the evening stars begin to greet the world below. He ventures to the lonely sepulchre only when there is no human presence. It's not because he dislikes company. But he does prefer to talk to her by himself, to share the stories of their adventures on the most intimate and personal level that existed between them. His spark is still glowing and healthy, immortal until forcibly snuffed. Perhaps it will never be snuffed, for it is housed in the glorious, resurrected Bhagavan Gundam. But he would gladly sacrifice it all if he could spend one more day with her. Perhaps she could take him on a picnic, like she did so many years ago in Japan. Or he could lift her to his shoulders as they gaze upon the Egyptian sun, exchanging caring words and loving favours. Even a stroll across the ancient desert would suffice, basking in the unsurpassable majesty of the Great Pyramid, the very first testament to the Earth-Cybertron dialogues.

The hill is large, large enough to accommodate his form as he stands before her memorial. He gazes down at it and greets her with a quiet "hello." He talks softly, gently, like he so often did when he cradled her warm, living body, until the loneliness grows too painful for his spark, and he shudders in rediscovered memories. That day she died in his hand, a portion of the happiness humanity had bequeathed upon him also passed away. All that remained was his unbreakable body, reconstructed by Soran Ibrahim and his Gundam. Strong and unbreakable as the metal mountains of Cybertron.

But this afternoon was different. The moment he had touched down on the hill, he knew he was not alone. Strangely, he did not mind the additional company this time.

"Hello, Ammiel. Hello, Wendy."

The children of Lyle Dylandy and Anew Returner had pre-empted his visit. With deep brown hair and soulful red eyes, Ammiel was a handsome half-Innovator, dressed in a fashionable khaki jacket and trousers. A splitting image of her mother, Wendy was a young woman of ageless beauty, who wore a long coat and blue jeans. Together, they looked up at Prime cautiously, hoping they were not intruding on his private contemplation. The Autobot leader had grown somewhat shy and reclusive after Leesa's death, so his habits had become rather obvious. The siblings knew this, so they had come with their own questions to ask.

"You always tell us such fascinating things about Sumeragi… I mean, Leesa Kujo. Those were the days when dad and mum served under her, right?" asked Wendy, as the adults sat down on the grass. She sidled closer to his foot. "Please tell us more. We wish to learn everything there is to know."

"As you wish," said Prime, resplendent in his armour. He closed his shimmering optics, and for a moment, the ethereal swirls of orange and blue stopped swimming. He could sense the harps of the distant nebulae strumming in harmonious melody.

"As life resumed its course, I finally laid the sparks of the Decepticons to rest. Cybertronians are curious individuals. We are… difficult to kill, yet the revolution in the solar furnaces, GN Particles, and 00 Raiser complicated things even further. Did you know that I should be dead?" he added, observing Ammiel and Wendy's surprised faces. "But thanks to Setsuna F. Seiei, I was resurrected by the combined power of his Gundam and the Matrix, which is bestowed upon only the most worthy of beings. Who is to say that Megatron or the others can't return to this world through the Matrix's power, or even the All Spark's?

"But if there comes a time when they really do deserve to return, I will ensure that we encounter each other no longer as Decepticons or Autobots, but as Cybertronians – united, and one."

Prime suddenly beamed at the fond reminiscence. "As for Leesa, she took me home with her after the war, claiming me as her own. How could I refuse? For the rest of her beautiful life, I was not only a protector of Earth. I was her happy guardian and companion."

"How did Ma'am Kujo pass away, Optimus?" asked Ammiel abruptly. Wendy glared at him reproachfully, but sometimes the questions of death could not – should not – be veiled in pretty words.

Prime nodded understandingly. "I remember that day so clearly. It was a lovely morning; a morning when the larks were singing and the children were playing outside the hospital gardens. She was resting on the uppermost level in the east wing, and I was outside, peering anxiously into her window. We could both sense that her time was coming. Despite being confined to bed, she insisted that I hold her once more, before it was too late, before she could no longer caress me. I was plagued by guilt, yet I loved her, so I had no choice but to obey. With all her strength, she slowly opened the window, and I moved to help her, to nudge open that pane.

"I grew fearful. What if she slipped; what if she fell? What if I was a clumsy fool? But to my surprise, she still had the energy to climb out and slump against my fingers, onto my palm. I urged her to conserve her strength. I promised I would take care of her and see her onwards to her very last breath. She told me that she already knew that – which was why she wanted to look upon my face one last time."

Prime's expression grew sadder. "I reminded her of my love, that I would never stop loving her. She said she felt the same of me, and with that we fell silent, content to gaze at each other. After several minutes of communion, she nudged my palm and whispered my name. She bid me farewell with the most radiant smile I have ever seen a human being give. Mere words couldn't express the tenderness I felt for her! I was honoured to send her off with the dignity and serenity she deserved. I gave her my blessing and urged her to close her shining eyes.

"She happily obeyed, if only to please me – the adorable child! I felt her stilling and the silence returning. After so many years together, our parting was complete. My Leesa… had joined my fellow Primes."

He looked down, blinking slowly.

_There was nothing unexpected in this. She simply went the way of all organic flesh. It is their nature to pass away like this. I know this better than most._

_Still, it's strange… that such a sweet little creature could have brought me to my knees that day_.

Rediscovered grief suddenly overcame the robot-Gundam. Were he human, he would have wept. Had he any tears to shed, they would have come. But he could only sigh, his voicebox rasping in yearning and affection as he slowly kneeled to watch the astonished twins. "I miss her, Ammiel," he confessed softly. "I want to hear her sweet voice again, Wendy."

They stared up at him as his shoulders quivered. Never had they witnessed such a display of emotion from the Autobot leader – it was almost disconcerting, even frightening. If the blades of impermanence could wound even the Prime, then surely humans were even more pathetically susceptible? "Please," whispered Wendy compassionately, her own eyes beginning to well. She had certainly inherited her mother's empathetic temperament. She sniffled loudly. "You'll break our hearts with a face like that."

"You Autobots are the heroes of Earth. You can't act like this!" insisted Ammiel, clenching his fists desperately. "What are hostile aliens going to think when they see guys like you and Bumblebee crying their optics out?" Perhaps he was angry that his idols were not invincible by any means. But like Wendy, he meant well.

"I'm sorry," smiled Prime, recovering slightly. "I am weak, after all. She made me weak. And I consider that a blessing.

"But we are not heroes. _You_ are the true heroes. Humanity has come so far. The very first colony has been completed near Jupiter, and Mobile Fortress Persephone has taken Earth's best scientists to the Andromeda galaxy, establishing settlements on hospitable planets. Soran is with them." He closed his optical sensors. "Soran Ibrahim is with them, carrying out his duty as humanity's guide. Now that child has left for outer space. And little Cassandra, the daughter that Feldt adopted from Vincent and Flora… she has grown up, too."

He looked up, gazing into the stars that were peering down on the darkening landscape. By contrast, the brightening cityscape was coming to life. Soon, he would have to depart. He had chosen, after all, to stay on Earth and remain as its sentinel – watching, waiting, and protecting.

There was little point in returning to Cybertron.

The crew he loved – the Celestial Being he fought alongside – no longer existed. Without Leesa, who could have held everyone together? Certainly not he! Bumblebee, Ironhide, Ratchet, Jetfire, and the other Autobots were too busy serving as leaders of the Earth-Sphere Federation's new defence forces. Ian had passed away, leaving Linda a widow. Mileina had found a husband of her own since, and still occasionally sent e-mails to Bumblebee. And what of Lasse? Even Veda had no idea as to his whereabouts now.

Setsuna had chosen a different path with Celestial Being. And in many ways, that also wounded Prime. Such a close bond they had shared; such communion! Setsuna was the one who had given him a second chance at life. And now he was gone. But his feelings were understandable. Despite his completed Innovation, the ageless Kurd felt no need to stay in Azadistan. Marina's inevitable preoccupation with the administration of her nation was at odds with his belief that the destiny of Earth lay beyond its frontiers. Their love for each other had changed little, but their separation, unsurprisingly, dealt another heavy blow to the once-inseparable Prime Coalition.

It felt surreal, even for him. Hardly anyone remained.

No matter where he went in the universe, even after having gone to the stars and back again, Optimus felt so alone.

"Soran… wherever you and the others are. May you always be safe, and may you always be happy. May you and everyone else… oh, what am I saying?" he muttered, shaking his head. "I'm talking to myself." He gazed back down at Ammiel and Wendy. "I'm sorry," he repeated sadly. "Did I even answer your questions?"

"Don't say that. Don't for one moment even think about apologizing to us." Wendy wiped a tear from her eye and stood up. Ammiel followed her. "I'm sorry, Optimus, but it's getting late. We should get back to Central district. We're having dinner with the Haptism family. Hopefully, we might see Aunt Marie. Takeshi Crossroad has invited us to a café later on. He wants to discuss with us the construction of our new Mobile Suits." She brushed the grass off her lap. "So I guess this is goodbye… for now. Can I call you later?"

Prime nodded. "Please do. I will always be here for you."

"And we'll always be here for you, too," smiled Wendy. She and Ammiel waved a final goodbye and began to descend down the hill. They wrapped their jackets around their bodies as the top of the mount disappeared behind them, for it was getting chilly. But their hearts burned with emotion, and after several minutes, Wendy couldn't stand it any longer. "I'm glad I said that to Optimus," she declared suddenly, her boots scraping on the dirt-worn path.

"Well, sure… but why, exactly?" asked Ammiel curiously.

Wendy closed her eyes, breathing heavily on her cold, pale hands. "He's always been there for us, for humanity. It's just in his character. But apart from Ma'am Kujo and Setsuna F. Seiei, I wonder how many human beings can really say that they've been there for _him_?"

She looked at her brother piercingly.

"Don't you think it's about damn time someone reciprocated the favour?"

*

The moon was out, and the Dylandy siblings had departed. He could spend days standing here, but Leesa would have disapproved of that. So he would take his leave, until the time came to share his stories with her once more.

Prime turned away to head back down to the city, his feet stroking the grass on the mound gently. "You once told me I was your best friend. But even to this day, I don't believe I deserve that honour," he declared. "I will never forget you, Leesa. As long as my spark continues to burn, I will protect the new world you fought so hard to bring about. This is, and has always been, my final duty to you."

_The childhood of humankind has ended at last_.

He stole one last fond glance at the memorial of his beloved, looking once more at her gravestone, at its worn edges and engraved letters.

"I will come again," he whispered.

*

Earth beats with life… with the promise of a beautiful future. It is the final hope of our Cybertronian race, on which rest the dreams of all our people… the dreams of those that participated in the dialogues. Carried on the metal hands of the Dynasty of Primes, whisked away by the veil of cosmic realities, we purified this planet of war and strife – yet the ache in my spark remains. It was on this planet that I watched over the evolution of _homo sapiens_ and their journey towards Innovation. For this reason, I have chosen to remain on Earth as its final guardian, should all other defenders fall around me.

I am Optimus Prime, and this is my promise.

Come and take my hand. I will hold you close to me. I will shelter and nurture you until you are strong enough to stand by my side as a comrade. And together, dear child, we will protect your world.

Don't be afraid.

*

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Final Author's Note: And so with Prime's "parting" words, the epilogue has made a complete circle to the prologue, where the Autobot leader introduced us to his story. Thank you for joining me! It's the first science-fanfiction I've written, and I've tried to offer a well-rounded story: a blend of drama, action, sci-fi philosophy and religion, and romance. The world is now at peace and pushing the frontiers of space. Celestial Being's purpose has been fulfilled. But what lies in future for the children of the Prime Coalition? What new adventures await the Autobots? Earth has changed dramatically. And as the epilogue suggests, even mighty Transformer-Gundams feel powerless when confronted by time and impermanence. And Optimus feels that burden all too exquisitely, especially with the departure of so many humans that he cherished. Is there any human epoch that can last in the eyes of a Cybertronian?

Evidently not…

In the second season of Gundam 00, the crucial word was "dialogues," the climax of Aeolia Schenberg's plan. In TF 00, this word took on a more concrete meaning via the dialogues between Earth and Cybertron. These words form the main themes of stories and bring an overarching unity to ideas, such as friendship, love, understanding, and conflict. For now, the main body of the story has concluded, and it's time to wrap everything up. It's been a blast writing this and I'm glad I could share my ideas online. I hope you enjoyed this Gundam 00 and Transformers crossover – an unusual crossover, but one that really has a lot of potential. And a very fond farewell from TF 00's heroes and heroines – from Setsuna and Marina, Lockon, Allelujah, and Tieria. From the crew of Celestial Being: Feldt, Mileina, Lasse, Anew, Ian and Linda. From the Autobots: Bumblebee, Ratchet, Ironhide, and Jetfire… and of course, from Sumeragi and Optimus. Thank you! ;)

Until next time. And there _will_ be a next time. ;)

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P.S. No one seems to mind too much that I completely forgot about Nena Trinity for the entire story. Oh well. I never liked her. XD

P.P.S. I don't own Gundam 00 or the Transformers franchise.


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